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Fandom Demon Slayer: Blood War
- Thread starter Nothingness
- Start date
-
- Tags
- fandom
Anthem
Still Alive
正義
Marumachi Ryutan
Ex-Demon Slayer
Tokyo, Japan
As the man left, Ryutan couldn't help but laugh before finally taking a seat as well so he could recover the stamina he did lose from the workout he did. Looking at the various fighters with different build and fighting style that were within the arena made him even more excited for the fights to come, even if all these people seemed to be human. Though one participant did seem to catch Ryu's gaze more than the others, a man that wore attire that fit more in a fancy restaurant than arena, and the man seemed completely unfazed by the opponents around. 'That participant is hiding something, no one comes to a tourney dressed like that unless they have some sort of advantage over others...' Ryutan thought to himself before shrugging his shoulders and stretched, looking to the other participants once more in hopes of finding another interesting one like the well-dressed man.
Interactions: N/A
Code by Serobliss
Horror
..........
Fang Guiying
Mentions :
None
Location :
An Arena?
Two more deliveries remained of Fang’s last round before he would clock out. One was a single order of cheese pizza and the other was a bulk purchase consisting of multiple pies. Fang wore the standard uniform for Mel’s pizza: a black collared shirt with white trim, dark loose slacks, and a black baseball cap with a red visor. Money jingled from the palm of his hand and continued to bounce around within his pants pocket—he stood outside of the home of his last shopper and prepared himself for another round. He sat back onto his bike and swung the heavy bag over his shoulder. The cool evening air blew through his short black hair, and Fang smiled at the simple pleasure of being alive. The spokes of his bike spun as he kicked off into the streets. Using Breathing he blitzed past pedestrians and cars alike. In his approach forward he swerved between a bench and a trashcan in a precise arch. An older woman who sat at the bench nearly dived out of her seat in fear of a collision. While he seemed reckless Fang was well aware of his navigational prowess. “Sorry!” He spat out as he advanced forward, unsure if it even found her ears.
Fang reached his destination in under five minutes. He dismounted his bike and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later there was a faint click, and then the sound of a chain being pulled off its hook. The front door opened and the owner of the house emerged. He appeared to be an elderly man with white hair and skin; he had a paunch that hung over his belt. His eyes were sunken and tired, yet brightened when they landed upon Fang. In his hand, Fang carried the warm box and inched it closer to the intended recipient.
"Thank you," the old man said with a smile, "I don't know what I'd do without your deliveries." Fang nodded, knowing exactly how this conversation would end. The two made small talk about the weather and the neighborhood before they exchanged pleasantries and parted ways. Once again the money from the transaction bounced around in Fang's pocket. As he pedaled off, he had a feeling that today wouldn't be the same as every other day. It felt different—the way the air smelled and the feel of the road under his tires. He trusted his instincts and was careful to mind his peripherals as he approached the final destination.
Outside the building was a heavy line that only continued through the entrance. Curiously, the individuals that formed the line were much bulkier than the average person and mostly male. Fang had a lot of exposure to these types of people in his younger years. Always eager to fight and make money off of other people. He lowered his head so that the dim skylight would create a smooth silhouette across his face. If anyone knew him from his adolescence things could get bad. Still, he had a delivery to make to someone here.
The group of men in front of him seemed to be huddled together in discussion. They were loud and obnoxious, talking amongst themselves in deep tones. Fang waited patiently until the crowd dispersed enough that he could slip through. He observed them closely while remaining hidden behind one of the pillars that lined the entryway. Their actions were not unlike what he grew accustomed to back on the street. There was fighting, cursing, and a general air of chaos. At the forefront of the line was an older man who looked to be in charge. He wore a long black coat and a fedora that he held low to conceal his face. He spoke in an authoritative tone and gestured with his hands like some sort of ringmaster directing a circus. Fang approached him with several barely warm boxes of pizza in hand. “Someone order a snack?” He asked with a small quiver of nervousness. Did I get the right address?
The man raised his arm in the air and called out, "One moment please."
In a matter of moments, the man returned accompanied by a large man in a leather jacket. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with a full beard that was braided into his head. “Just in time for the show.” He said as he wrapped his meaty arms around Fang's waist and placed a hand on his shoulder. Fang felt the hairs on his neck stand up and wanted nothing more than to escape. The man's breath smelt like cheap whiskey and cigars. Despite this Fang complied and followed the two down the hall toward the main event. The hallway was very narrow and dimly lit. Fang felt himself begin to sweat and wished that he had paid more attention to his surroundings. At the end of the hall, there was a large double door. Inside were several men sitting around a card table. The room was littered with bottles of liquor and ashtrays filled with butts. There was a noticeable odor of drugs mixed in with the smell of stale cigar smoke. The atmosphere was tense, and the conversations among the men were growing louder as they approached. Fang stopped and turned to the man holding him. "Is this the right place?" he asked.
The man gave him a lopsided grin and replied, "Of course it is. We're all waiting for you." He pushed Fang ahead and shoved him into the room. Two large hands tugged the boxes from his palms with one pull. The man then cleared some space on the table and set the boxes down. “The fights are gonna start soon. Why don’t you stay and watch?” Behind him was a glass pane to what looked like some sort of arena with spectators gathering underneath. They were above them all, hidden in what looked like one of several box suites for VIPs. Fang wanted to run away, but the man did not let go of his waist. Fang was not yet aware of their motivation for dragging them into this, he did not recognize any of their faces but his whole body was tense. He hoped they were just standard drunk jerks who wanted to scare a delivery boy. He stepped forward and took a seat beside the others in the circle as they placed what looked like bets.
Ploegy
"The arcana is the means by which all is revealed"
Nothingness
Two Thousand Club
Anthem
Still Alive
正義
Marumachi Ryutan
Ex-Demon Slayer
Tokyo, Japan
Ryutan would enter a more relaxed fighting position, hoping up and down, as he kept his arms loose but ready for quick reactions. Joshua was wondering why he was put against Ryutan due to the young man seemingly having no experience in the ring, but his fists up to protect his head and waited for the count. As the announcer declared the fight to begin, the UFC fighter instinctively went in for a few quick attacks. But they didn't land on his opponent as Ryu quickly jumped back and to the side with impressive speed, much to the crowd's surprise. "Despite your size you can move relatively fast, though you can only do so much before having to slow down due to the strain of such movements." Ryu said out loud as he carefully watched his opponents movements, Joshua would go in for another quick lunge just for it to be dodged once more. "Stop dancing around and fight me! I didn't come here for some brat to dance around and watch my style!" The American said in anger as Ryu couldn't help but smile and laugh before smirking. "Then come and get me, fool." Ryu taunted as his voice went a little deeper due to him focusing. Joshua would growl under his breath in anger before starting to relentlessly swing at Ryutan, as he continued to dodge and block the incoming attacks. If someone in the crowd or watching from a TV were to pay attention to Ryu, they would be able to see him dodging even with his eyes closed. To someone who was part of the Demon Slayer Corps or still is, this was obviously a heightened sense of some sort.
The game of cat and mouse continued until Ryutan got a little too cocky as he started literally dancing around the UFC Champ's attacks, only to get hit square in the chest by a solid lunge. Joshua cackled as Ryu stumbled back and coughed a tad. "Is that all you have in you?! They should've put me against an actual fighter, not someone like thi-" The American ranted before swift kick landed to his side, causing him to falter and stop midsentence. The crowd went silent as they saw that Ryutan was still standing despite the ferocious hit he took to the chest. "Hm, the referee should have put me against an ACTUAL fighter." Ryu said, using Joshua's words against him much to the disapproval of the American. As the heavyweight went back in to continue his assault, he received another swift blow from Ryutan. The young man would start his own assault against the champ, moving inconsistently without any form of rhythm, becoming as ferocious and random as a windstorm.
This continued for a good minute and a half, constant attacks and counters from Ryutan as the UFC fighter now struggled to even find an opening against his opponent. "Lets end this, shall we?" The young man spoke before grabbing Joshua's wrist and pulling him close. Leaving the man's chest vunerable as it was quickly struck by a powerful palm strike from Ryu, and the damage he had received alongside that attack caused Joshua to pass out. The crowd stayed silent in shock before yelling out and cheering as the proclaimmed underdog of the match one, and the announcer did his job. "And the victor is Marumachi Ryutan! He will be moving on since Joshua Rodriguez is no longer able to keep fighting!" Ryutan's serious expression turned back to a cheery one as he waved to the crowd before making his way back to the waiting area.
Interactions: N/A
Code by Serobliss
Wxnter
meet me at area 51
☆☆☆☆☆
Valerie Knight
CEO of Knight Corporation
VIP Section, Before the start of the tournament
Just then, a knock was heard on the door, followed by a middle-aged man entering the room in a hurry. "I'm sorry for making you wait, Miss Valerie. The traffic--" The woman raised her hand and stopped him from speaking. She was not in the mood to listen to his excuses.
"Any leads?"
The man cleared his throat and straightened his tie before responding, "We have investigated all the nearby towns. No one has seen a man of his description." He cast his gaze down to the floor as he expected a harsh rebuke to come. His boss had a wicked temper, and she looked to be in an even worse mood today. To the man’s surprise though, she said nothing. She only stared off into the distance and looked lost in thought, but her eyes remained cold and penetrating, and her silence only made him feel even more unnerved.
"Don't show your face again until you have something useful to say," came her reply. Her voice was calm but laced thick with venom. She calmly took a sip from her wine glass without sparing him a single glance. He swallowed a lump that formed in his throat, he was eager to leave the room and escape the tension that hung heavy in the air.
"One month. If you have no useful information to give me within that time, start looking for another job," she added with cold indifference.
"W-What?" He choked out.
"Have someone give me the official list of contestants on your way out." She waved her hand, dismissing him.
"Y-Yes... Please wait a moment." Still stunned, he scurried out of the room without another word.
Five minutes later, a staff member showed up with a clipboard. He handed it over to her and stood quietly as she went over the list. Something must have caught her attention because her eyes widened in surprise.
"Is something wrong?" The young man asked, shifting nervously on his feet. Without answering his question, the woman rose from the couch and walked over to the viewing scope. The staff member eyed her curiously; she seemed to be searching for someone down on the benches.
'Could it be...?' She shook her head in disbelief. She'd heard of his death two years ago, and he wasn't the type to run and save himself. And yet... there he was. He looked the same, only a bit older than the last time she’d seen him. The woman gritted her teeth; she could only think of one other possibility.
"Ma'am?" The young man’s voice broke her out of her musings. She looked at him as if she was noticing his presence for the first time, then she walked over to the table where a black briefcase was laid. With a click, she opened it to reveal crisp piles of cash.
“200,000 credits on Xiang Zhao,” she declared nonchalantly, reaching into her pocket for a cigarette.
“What?” His eyes were wide in surprise, and his mouth agape. He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Why risk all of that on some unknown fighter? Did she have access to exclusive information that they weren't made aware of?
Upon realizing that he had been staring at her dumbfoundedly, he cleared his throat and quickly composed himself with a shrug of his shoulders. He grabbed a pen and notebook from the pocket of his vest and asked, “May I have your full name, please?”
“Valerie Knight,” she replied, lighting the cigarette in her mouth. She drew her breath in, then exhaled a cloud of smoke.
If Valerie was right, this would be an easy win.
Code by Serobliss
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Dextra
Junior Member
Demon Slayer
Chiyoko
♡coded by uxie♡
wigi
One Thousand Club
"combustion breathing , second form" , a loud bang is heard as the demon slayer finally arrives to his destination , he jumps around and climbs reaching the top of a building to stay hidden , after all carrying a sword in the middle of tokyo will get him arrested .
"lets hope this bird was right , there seems to be no one and the street" he looks around for a second before noticing it
"yup , that's one hell of an arena if ive ever seen one , the bird was right , this place must be crawling with demons , there could be a lot of goals for a demon being there ,snatching people , finding recruits to take away their humanity and even just killing for the hell of it , i have to get there fast before anything accures "
he jumps off the building
"combustion breathing second form , FLARE DASH!"
the combustion user is pushed into the air landing in an alley next to the arena, he quickly hides his sword and walks to the gates.
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Nothingness
Two Thousand Club
Horror
..........
Fang Guiying
Credits clunk together as the drunk gamblers hoarded their wealth and considered their options. Betting on a fighter was not easy, there were too many variables for the average person to consider. Who would win? How much damage could be inflicted? What about an opening-round knockout? Or a bout in which one fighter's strength was superior over another? But with enough money at their disposal, one could sift through the numbers and find an edge in betting odds. Fang eyed one of their devices from his peripheral vision—it contained the details and expected odds for the currently scheduled fighters. There were a few with close to no history. Only a real risk-taker would even consider putting credit on the nameless. With their attention refocused on the wager, Fang did consider making an escape— but, there was a single issue. He had yet to collect the credits for the pizza. He sighed and resigned himself to his fate.
He sat back and looked through a glass pane. Two fighters, one native and a foreigner were stationed opposite of each other in the arena. The sound of metal grates being drawn across the floor marked the beginning of the fight. The crowd cheered and booed at the same time. Fang leaned closer to try and hear what the other patrons outside were saying about the fight, but the din drowned out anything intelligible. One of the men near him grunted and said, "This guy has no chance." The voice belonged to the large man he had been first introduced to.
A bell rang signaling the start of the match. A line of light flashed across the wall behind Fang and a soft thud echoed throughout the arena. “WHAT THE FUCK!” One of the nearby men roared so explicitly that the gaze of all those nearby became refocused on him. His eyes gaped wide in disbelief at the tablet he squeezed between a hairy set of knuckles."Valerie fuckin’ Knight." The crooked businessman brought a cigar to the edge of his lips and took a deep inhale. "Remember that hag’s company? The one you got screwed over by, Nobu? The crazy bitch just put 200 grand on a nameless no-one!” His palms shook with anger and disbelief.
"You're a goddamn moron. You have to be the biggest fucking idiot alive to bet on a nameless. Let me show you how it's done," another patron chortled as he reached over to his cell phone. “I put 50k on the fucker that Zhao no name is fighting. Match me and let’s take her for every dollar her daddy gave her.” Fang could not believe what he was hearing. These people were either insane or desperate. He thought to himself, "How does this work? How can I get out of here with my money without hurting anyone?”
The man who spoke first stood up and walked over to the card table where he placed his credit chip. He pulled back his sleeve and began pressing numbers into a device. Another patron quickly copied him and before long the entire gambling circle was betting against the nameless. Fang had no idea how many credits, but it was clear that they were prepared for some serious losses if this thing went badly. Another bell rang, and the fight behind them concluded. Marumachi, a different first-time contender was victorious. The cheers of the patrons were deafening. One of the men at the table yelled, "Let's go again! Who wants more action?" Considering the bets they had just placed, the news of a different newcomer winning hung over them like a bad omen.
The man who made the original wager was now staring daggers at Fang. Fang now knew his name to be Nobu. The businessman was clearly angry with the outcome and worried about his most recent bet against Valerie. With two hands, Nobu gripped the top of the nearest box of pizza and ripped it clean off. The sound of cardboard snapping sent shivers down Fang's back as it severed. Nobu tore a pen from his pants pocket and scribbled something on it before shoving the torn box against Fang’s chest. “Go to booth Number ### and give this to a woman named Valerie. If anyone asks, Nobu sent you,” he practically grabbed Fang from his seat and pushed him toward the door. “Then you’ll get your payment and a generous tip on the top.” The wicked smile he gave Fang afterward was comparable to that of demons.
Fang felt his legs wobbling beneath him like a newborn deer as he forced himself to walk past the mob of people waiting to place their bets. Whatever that man wrote … Fang was sure it was terrible and he could only hope this Valerie did not share the same propensity to violence as Nobu. Whatever the case, he was sure he could outrun them at the least if any violence arose.
After a brief walk and a little confusion and apprehension, booth number ### was only a few steps in front of him. To his front, two important-looking bodyguards gazed him over with blatant suspicion and distrust. One flicked their wrist beckoning him to speak while the other kept their hand poised at their waistband. “I have a message for Valerie Knight. From Nobu, in booth number 012.” The two seemed to look him over a second time while considering their options.
Wxnter
meet me at area 51
☆☆☆☆☆
Valerie Knight
CEO of Knight Corporation
The Arena, VIP Section
"Yes, Miss Valerie. I had rumors spread that someone had placed a very large bet on Xiang Zhao, an unknown fighter who doesn't seem to possess that much strength. Now there's been an influx of people betting against you." Hiroto Takahashi, Valerie's butler, smiled at her with ease. The wrinkles around his eyes had gotten deeper over the years, his movements no longer as swift as they used to be. He had been serving her since she was only a child, and it filled his heart with pride to see how far she'd come.
Valerie chuckled before downing what was left of her wine. Takahashi stepped forward and refilled her glass, just as the winner of the first match was announced. There was a hint of amusement in Valerie's eyes, a wry smile creeping onto her face. "Were you able to closely observe that match, Hiroto? He fights like one of them," said Valerie as she lit up another cigarette and took a puff. "He had his eyes closed while perfectly dodging his opponent's attacks. He possesses an enhanced sensory skill."
"A demon slayer?" His eyes widened in surprise.
"Perhaps."
He wondered for a moment if this would put a hamper on Valerie's plans, and his concern did not go unnoticed by her perceptive eye. "Everything should go as planned," she assured him with an air of confidence that assuaged all of his worries. Unless other external variables showed up, this would only be a small hitch on the road. "Besides, I don't care about a measly two hundred grand. I'm just here to confirm something." She grabbed the glass of wine and took a large gulp. She felt the liquor warm her insides, a visible pink now tainting her cheeks.
"And what will you do if your suspicions are right, Miss Valerie? Will you report that man, Xiang Zhao?" he asked. She was silent in deep thought, her eyes narrowing as she continued to smoke what was left of her cigarette. After a few moments, she finally leaned forward and extinguished it on the ashtray.
"I don't work for the Corps. Demons are no longer my concern," she replied with a solemn expression on her face. Takahashi was not surprised. Even though reports claimed that a demon had killed her brother, he knew that Valerie still believed he was alive, and she didn't care what shape or form he took. Seeing her childhood friend alive, after all these years of being presumed dead, only seemed to fuel her hopes that her brother was out there, too—human or not.
Before he could utter a response, there was a knock on the door. One of the bodyguards came in and informed them that a young man had come to deliver a message from a man named Nobu. Takahasi looked at Valerie for confirmation, but she only raised an eyebrow. Whoever he was, he wasn't important enough for her to remember his name.
Seeing her confusion, Takahasi leaned forward and said, "Nobu is a businessman who experienced a huge loss after you took a large deal from him, which would have allowed him to expand his business internationally." Valerie looked at him with a face that seemed to say, Which incompetent idiot is that? There are too many of them to count, but she only released a sigh of vexation and waved her hand.
"Let him in."
Code by Serobliss
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wigi
One Thousand Club
MENTIONS:
Anthem
(not by name)the teen approached the crowd standing outside managing to slip his way in "no one should have noticed that"
he thinks to himself , not everyday do you see someone carrying a katana in the middle of tokyo , or maybe you do , he was raised in a pretty rural area so he doesnt know what the norm is.
he stands in the crows for a second watching the match infold infront of his , the person in the arena ,his movement and speed were practically perfect , using his good eyesight he was able to distinguish a few chracteristics of the fighter , yellowish hints on his hair and clothing .
ryuji stood watching for a second watching the fighter's movement , a glimmer in his eye could be seen , and then bam , a clean hit by the fighte as his apponent is knocked out.
"now that , is demon slayer material , wait , is he a demon slayer , something is off about him , no no i cant confirm that yet"
he felt his skin crawling on his back catching a clean look , "n-no , ill have to investigate that further"
ryuji couldnt hold his excitement and quickly decided , that he should give this tournament thing a try , maybe he can flesh out some demons mid fight , the angle from the middle of the arena would be perfect.
ryuji walks up to one of the desks and signs up for the tournament , faking his age since he doesnt know if they'll take a 17 year old kid in to fight . he finally manages to convince the staff to sign him up and he's lead into a waiting room.
on his way he hears someone from a room scream "you're dead meat kid!"
he sits in the room watching the 2vs2 match that's curretly happening.
ShinGeorgeTownRaja
Member
Jimmy Awesome/Luigi Biagi
Place: The ArenaWith: Fang Guiying (
Horror
), Valerie Knight (
Wxnter
) Mood: Focused
Luigi found himself in one of the VIP lounges, secretly fitting in with the corrupt rich businessmen. Why, you ask? It was a bit complicated but it shouldn't be because he did it just because no one didn't seem to mind much or be suspicious about it, especially the rich businessmen. Well, for some people, of course. One thing for certain was that he was actually sitting next to Fang Guiying, a pizza delivery guy who just got dragged into one of the VIP lounges and was forced to watch the tournament with them, much to his absent-minded mindset. As the situation went, what Fang was experiencing might've been uncomfortable for him as it could've been a misunderstanding. But after all, there was a tournament going on so it didn't matter much to Luigi.
So how did Luigi go about going undercover as one of the rich businessmen? It was a simple process. Driving his red AE86 to the annual fighting tournament? Check. Successfully convincing the rich businessmen that he was an international celebrity on the Eurobeat scene just to watch the tournament with them? Check. Being oblivious of Fang's presence the whole time? Double check, sarcastic mode. Attempting to rescue Fang away from the rich businessmen but now wasn't the right time for it? No check. As of late, there was only one way to find out; only time would tell.
"Just sit back and enjoy the show, my man," Luigi said to Fang, not showing any eye contact to him. "Come to think of it, you're not from around here, are you?" he asked, again, not showing any eye contact. What would Fang's reply shall be next...
Oh wait, where did he go? It turned out that Fang had been gone the whole time, much to Luigi's amazement and curiosity. But why? Could it be that he had some business to take care of or maybe Luigi had been oblivious the whole time? Whatever it may be, he decided not to go after him and remained sitting with the businessmen.
"Where the hell did he go? Oh well..." Luigi wondered without much care.
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Dextra
Junior Member
Collab post
Dextra
and
Ploegy
/ Yume and Chiyoko
YumeYume hardly paid attention as more fighters came in. Instead, she found herself trying to stay as far from the crowds as possible, mostly in hopes of keeping her true identity and goals hidden from those around her. There was no telling what these people were like after all. It was possible any of them could be a demon or even another slayer. Admittedly, she hardly knew many of the others she worked with, as sad as that was to admit. Their existence was odd after all, and much like herself, they often lived double lives or merely lived out of the public's eyes.
As the group moved into another room, Yume followed, keeping her head low as she did. No amount of hiding was going to make her stand out less than she already did. That was the downside of wearing a mask and having bright purple hair. Even so, no one seemed to approach her, which was much to her relief. Her nerves were already running high as is, she didn't need strangers making it worse. Being part of this tournament was enough stress for her, even if she was highly adept at it. Her reflexes were amazing, oddly thanks to years of high end gaming, and she always had the benefit of her enhanced hearing. People's breathing, their footsteps; both sounds she could easily pick up on and use to her advantage. While she was smaller built, she was nimble, and quick on her feet. In a fist fight, it wasn't about being stronger, but hitting the right spots enough times. Her style aligned more with the concept of "death by a thousand paper cuts." Small damage did add up over time after all.
When the first match began, the teenager allowed her attention to momentarily shift to the screen displaying it. She cared little about the fighters, and admittedly missed their names. The beginning of the match was almost enough to lull her to sleep from how slow it was. Ryutan was clearly toying with his opponent, or so that was how Yume saw it. He played little offense, as if knowing already that he was going to win. An interesting tactic, though it wasn't one she was unfamiliar with. She had done it plenty of times in games, and induced rage upon her opponents because of it. It was amusing to watch one's opponent struggle, she knew that much.
Soon enough, the match picked up, now turning heavily in Ryutan's favor, much like she would have expected given his style. Within only a moment it was over, and he was declared the winner. While the match hadn't necessarily intrigued her, Yume did find it strange. The way this newcomer moved was oddly reminiscent of how demon slayers moved. Could he be one as well? Who knew. It was none of her business.
Shrugging it off, Yume waited for the next match to be called, and much to her dismay, her name was called. To make matters even worse, she had been partnered up. Was doubles really a thing?! How unlucky could she be? Sighing, she forced her way forward, wondering who exactly she was to be paired with. The name Tomoe Gozen hardly gave her any clues. However, when she arrived in the wing of the arena, she was finally able to see who this other was, and it was much to her own surprise.
ChiyokoThe next fight was announced; this time it would be a two-on-two match, and the participants on one side both sounded like they had fictitious names, Orka Sage and Tomoe Gozen. To her knowledge, Okra Sage was the name of edible plants and Tomoe Gozen, a notable Onna-musha from the Heian period. She didn't move for a moment, simply staying in her seat, before the realization hit her. Tomoe Gozen was her registered name. It didn't seem right, she was certain she hadn't signed up for a doubles match, she could see the old geezer at the registration desk laughing to himself at what he'd done. Standing up and making her way to the wing of the area bag in one hand, phone in the other.
YumeThe girl beside her was one she had seen before, one she had found herself watching on more than one occasion. Her cosplaying had always inspired Yume, yet the streamer had always struggled to bring herself to trying such a hobby. Making her own cosplay outfits had been out of the question for her sewing skills were abysmal, but buying them seemed to take away some of the fun. It was conflicting.
Chiyoko
Chiyoko only caught a glimpse of them, but it was enough for her to notice Orka's hands matched those of a swordwomen. Okra's hands were similar to Chiyoko's; it was an odd comparison, but Okra's knuckles lacked calluses, as many fighters' had, but the inside of her hands had calluses in the same places that Chiyoko had developed through years of training. Then there was her outfit, which, while lacking some of the traditional aspects of a demon slayer corps outfit, caught Chiyoko's eye because she was wearing a haori.
Yume
Shaking the thought of that from her mind, the young slayer gave a dip of her head in Chiyoko's direction before proceeding forth towards the ring to meet their opponents. From what the announcer was saying the two were brothers, and much bigger than either of them, not that such a thing mattered in Yume's eyes. She had taken on demons just as big, and walked away to tell the tale. This would hopefully be no different.
Entering the arena, her eyes momentarily locked with that of their opponents, quietly taking in everything she could about them, including the number of steps they'd need to take before reaching her, before ultimately shifting her attention away. Her gaze momentarily shifted to "Tomoe" and smirked, although it was well hidden beneath her rabbit mask.
ChiyokoOkra was the first to enter the ring, followed by Chiyoko; their opponents were a duo that even the announcer couldn't believe were matched up against the two girls. If the previous fight was a mismatch, this one appeared to be even more so, despite the fact that the genders were the same. Their opponents were massive, near 400 pound monsters, with only one of them weighing more than both the girls combined, but Chiyoko wasn't scared, instead a smile covered her face. Chiyoko's smile faded for a second as Okra's voice reached her ears; she had no idea of her partner's combat ability, but at least she was confident, or was it cockiness, only time will tell.
YumeHer gaze on her partner lingered for only a moment longer before she looked away again, allowing herself a brief moment to scan the VIP suites and see if she could pick out her true target. Unfortunately, the dinging of the bell was enough reason to bring her search to a stop. Heaving a faint sigh, her attention remained on the suites, showing little care that the match had actually begun.
Her aloofness seemed to annoy the brother on the left, which seemed to be Katsu, or better known as "The Gentle Giant." His irritation snarls indicated anything but gentle to Yume, though she cared little about that.
He was close now, and that was enough to bring Yume to action. Body shifting nimbly, the rabbit masked teen avoided the man's incoming punch without ever giving him a look. The sound of his fist wizzing to her left told her that. It was only after his failed attack that her head shot in his direction, brown eyes glaring through the slits of her mask.
Her blows, while lacking in raw power, did do their job of being annoying. It helped that her opponent was clearly slow too. Several rounds of her punches were only met with attempts of his own, but none were able to land. The force behind them caused just enough sound for her to hear them coming and react properly.
Simultaneously;
ChiyokoHaru 'The Beast,' the lighter of the two sumo wrestlers, faced Chiyoko.
Sumo wrestlers were known for their explosive power, strong cores, and powerful bodies, but Chiyoko observed a surprising weakness: their legs. It wasn't that sumo wrestlers' legs were untrained, far from it, but sumo wrestlers' legs could only withstand so much, and their normal matches saw weights in excess of 600 pounds collide with each other, causing havoc on their legs and sometimes irreversible damage.
Haru's tackle missed its target as Chiyoko jumped to the side as the two came face to face, not wanting his target to escape his grasp. Haru put all of his weight on his left leg, attempting to follow Chiyoko with his shoulder in a fashion similar to a shoulder tackle, but Chiyoko seemed to read his mind and was ready for it, she didn't move; all she did as this nearly 400-pound monster tried to push his entire body weight into her was a simple kick. Her knee bent and her leg quickly extended as she twisted her body performing a sidekick to ensure the ball of her heel could connect directly with his kneecap, a sickening crack could be heard as the kick connected and Haru's shoulder tackle aimed at Chiyoko instead struck the floor full force as his support was taken out from under him.
The kick itself was nothing special, but what caused the damage was one of the Aikido principles of using the attacker's force against them. Haru already had his entire body weight on one leg and was using it to move 378 pounds worth of weight combined with a well-aimed kick and it would be like forcing your kneecap to hold your entire weight while being forced to bend in an unnatural manner it was common sense that anything under that type of strain would snap.
YumeSeeing the man struggling in her grasp, she didn't let up on her hold, until she felt him tap against her arm, indicating he accepted defeat. Obliging his wishes, Yume released her "death grip" she had on him and climbed back to her feet, placing one foot on her fallen opponent to assure he had no plans of getting back up.
ChiyokoChiyoko looked away for a second, staring at Okra as she finished off the other brother, giving a slight nod of the head in acknowledgement of her skill before returning her attention to Haru, who had given up trying to stand and was crawling towards Chiyoko. Chiyoko's form twisted once more in the same style as seen before, and everyone expected a kick. Instead, Chiyoko fell right on her bottom as the announcer caught her off guard and called the fight, much to Chiyoko's surprise, technical knockouts were apparently a thing.
Both
Dextra
and
Ploegy
/ Yume and ChiyokoYumeYume hardly paid attention as more fighters came in. Instead, she found herself trying to stay as far from the crowds as possible, mostly in hopes of keeping her true identity and goals hidden from those around her. There was no telling what these people were like after all. It was possible any of them could be a demon or even another slayer. Admittedly, she hardly knew many of the others she worked with, as sad as that was to admit. Their existence was odd after all, and much like herself, they often lived double lives or merely lived out of the public's eyes.
As the group moved into another room, Yume followed, keeping her head low as she did. No amount of hiding was going to make her stand out less than she already did. That was the downside of wearing a mask and having bright purple hair. Even so, no one seemed to approach her, which was much to her relief. Her nerves were already running high as is, she didn't need strangers making it worse. Being part of this tournament was enough stress for her, even if she was highly adept at it. Her reflexes were amazing, oddly thanks to years of high end gaming, and she always had the benefit of her enhanced hearing. People's breathing, their footsteps; both sounds she could easily pick up on and use to her advantage. While she was smaller built, she was nimble, and quick on her feet. In a fist fight, it wasn't about being stronger, but hitting the right spots enough times. Her style aligned more with the concept of "death by a thousand paper cuts." Small damage did add up over time after all.
When the first match began, the teenager allowed her attention to momentarily shift to the screen displaying it. She cared little about the fighters, and admittedly missed their names. The beginning of the match was almost enough to lull her to sleep from how slow it was. Ryutan was clearly toying with his opponent, or so that was how Yume saw it. He played little offense, as if knowing already that he was going to win. An interesting tactic, though it wasn't one she was unfamiliar with. She had done it plenty of times in games, and induced rage upon her opponents because of it. It was amusing to watch one's opponent struggle, she knew that much.
Soon enough, the match picked up, now turning heavily in Ryutan's favor, much like she would have expected given his style. Within only a moment it was over, and he was declared the winner. While the match hadn't necessarily intrigued her, Yume did find it strange. The way this newcomer moved was oddly reminiscent of how demon slayers moved. Could he be one as well? Who knew. It was none of her business.
Shrugging it off, Yume waited for the next match to be called, and much to her dismay, her name was called. To make matters even worse, she had been partnered up. Was doubles really a thing?! How unlucky could she be? Sighing, she forced her way forward, wondering who exactly she was to be paired with. The name Tomoe Gozen hardly gave her any clues. However, when she arrived in the wing of the arena, she was finally able to see who this other was, and it was much to her own surprise.
ChiyokoThe next fight was announced; this time it would be a two-on-two match, and the participants on one side both sounded like they had fictitious names, Orka Sage and Tomoe Gozen. To her knowledge, Okra Sage was the name of edible plants and Tomoe Gozen, a notable Onna-musha from the Heian period. She didn't move for a moment, simply staying in her seat, before the realization hit her. Tomoe Gozen was her registered name. It didn't seem right, she was certain she hadn't signed up for a doubles match, she could see the old geezer at the registration desk laughing to himself at what he'd done. Standing up and making her way to the wing of the area bag in one hand, phone in the other.
YumeThe girl beside her was one she had seen before, one she had found herself watching on more than one occasion. Her cosplaying had always inspired Yume, yet the streamer had always struggled to bring herself to trying such a hobby. Making her own cosplay outfits had been out of the question for her sewing skills were abysmal, but buying them seemed to take away some of the fun. It was conflicting.
Chiyoko
"It appears you made a new friend there."
It was a message from Leo; a part of her wondered if he was involved, but it didn't seem like his style. Chiyoko looked up and down at her teammate, and there was a strange sense of familiarity in her eyes as she did so, whether it was her body shape, purple hair, or something else that Chiyoko's keen eyes could spot told her that she knew this Okra Sage or at least recognised her, but with her hiding behind a mask and using what appeared to be a fake name, it was difficult for Chiyoko to tell. Part of her wanted to question this Okra, but she decided not to. If she was concealing herself behind a persona, there was a reason for it, just as Chiyoko had her own reasons for using a fictitious name. Chiyoko was struck by one aspect of Okra: her hands.Chiyoko only caught a glimpse of them, but it was enough for her to notice Orka's hands matched those of a swordwomen. Okra's hands were similar to Chiyoko's; it was an odd comparison, but Okra's knuckles lacked calluses, as many fighters' had, but the inside of her hands had calluses in the same places that Chiyoko had developed through years of training. Then there was her outfit, which, while lacking some of the traditional aspects of a demon slayer corps outfit, caught Chiyoko's eye because she was wearing a haori.
"Demon Slayer?"
The words came out of Chiyoko's mouth almost by accident as she lagged behind Okra's pace by a few steps; it was barely audible but definitely audible to the right person.Yume
Focus Yume!
She scolded herself mentally, knowing she couldn't afford to get too distracted, especially on something like what her partner did in their free time. Still, it was strange to see her in a place like this, but it wasn't as if they knew each other personally, though Yume wasn't against the idea. Meeting fellow streamers, no matter their content, was something she had always enjoyed, though she couldn't same the feeling was always mutual. Other streamer did find her, well.... a bit much.Shaking the thought of that from her mind, the young slayer gave a dip of her head in Chiyoko's direction before proceeding forth towards the ring to meet their opponents. From what the announcer was saying the two were brothers, and much bigger than either of them, not that such a thing mattered in Yume's eyes. She had taken on demons just as big, and walked away to tell the tale. This would hopefully be no different.
Entering the arena, her eyes momentarily locked with that of their opponents, quietly taking in everything she could about them, including the number of steps they'd need to take before reaching her, before ultimately shifting her attention away. Her gaze momentarily shifted to "Tomoe" and smirked, although it was well hidden beneath her rabbit mask.
"You take the right, and I take the left?"
She suggested, hoping the girl would agree to such a simplistic plan. If not, they could always come up with something on the fly, she was used to that tactic.ChiyokoOkra was the first to enter the ring, followed by Chiyoko; their opponents were a duo that even the announcer couldn't believe were matched up against the two girls. If the previous fight was a mismatch, this one appeared to be even more so, despite the fact that the genders were the same. Their opponents were massive, near 400 pound monsters, with only one of them weighing more than both the girls combined, but Chiyoko wasn't scared, instead a smile covered her face. Chiyoko's smile faded for a second as Okra's voice reached her ears; she had no idea of her partner's combat ability, but at least she was confident, or was it cockiness, only time will tell.
"That works for me. If you need my help during the fight, just shout for me and I'll come running. I'll do the same if I need you, but it shouldn't be necessary with such a chunk of lard."
With that, the fight began.YumeHer gaze on her partner lingered for only a moment longer before she looked away again, allowing herself a brief moment to scan the VIP suites and see if she could pick out her true target. Unfortunately, the dinging of the bell was enough reason to bring her search to a stop. Heaving a faint sigh, her attention remained on the suites, showing little care that the match had actually begun.
Her aloofness seemed to annoy the brother on the left, which seemed to be Katsu, or better known as "The Gentle Giant." His irritation snarls indicated anything but gentle to Yume, though she cared little about that.
"You should pay attention little girl!"
the man bellowed out, though Yume paid no mind to it, continuing her idle scan of the suites. Her silence only seemed to make matters worse. The angry growl escaping the "gentle giant's" throat told her that. Without any warning, he began his charge forward. One... Two... Three... Four...
she counted mentally, taking note of each step no problem, even with others around. Five... Six... Seven...
He was close now, and that was enough to bring Yume to action. Body shifting nimbly, the rabbit masked teen avoided the man's incoming punch without ever giving him a look. The sound of his fist wizzing to her left told her that. It was only after his failed attack that her head shot in his direction, brown eyes glaring through the slits of her mask.
"Too slow buddy,"
she breathed out, taking on an oddly calm persona in the moment. Taking this moment, she quickly moved forward, pounding her fists into his body in a simple rhythmic pattern, much like her sword swings would take.Her blows, while lacking in raw power, did do their job of being annoying. It helped that her opponent was clearly slow too. Several rounds of her punches were only met with attempts of his own, but none were able to land. The force behind them caused just enough sound for her to hear them coming and react properly.
"I should have expected your frame data would be this poor."
Her taunts, while oddly specific, seemed to get her message across, and soon enough the man took a reckless gamble, throwing his entire body in her direction. "GGEZ,"
she mumbled, quickly swinging herself out of his path to avoid his dash, but quickly moving herself back in to wrap her arms around his neck. Putting her full body into the action, she slammed the much larger man to the ring's floor, causing him to yell out in pain. While it wasn't a choke slam per say, it was as close as someone like Yume could get.Simultaneously;
ChiyokoHaru 'The Beast,' the lighter of the two sumo wrestlers, faced Chiyoko.
"I'm really sorry about this, but my brother will kill me if I take it easy on you."
Chiyoko was almost certain she was against 'The Gentle Giant' based on the pair's demeanor, but perhaps their aliases were meant to be ironic. Haru charged, and to everyone's surprise, Chiyoko charged right back at him, or at least she appeared to for about one step before stopping and kneeling. "Hold on for a second."
Chiyoko spoke as she began undoing and removing her shoes; for whatever reason, Haru also came to a halt; it appeared he enjoyed a fair fight. "What are you doing?"
His voice was rough, as befitted a man of his stature. "I'm taking off my shoes."
"Why?"
"It's disrespectful to the arena, and I don't want you to lose an eye."
Chiyoko pointed to the heel, which, while not particularly large, had a point to it. "Oh…"
"Are you finished yet?"
Haru seemed impatient, as did the audience, most of whom ignored or booed Chiyoko, preferring to watch Yume instead. Sliding her shoes to the edge of the arena, Chiyoko nodded and bowed. "Thank you for your patience."
Haru and Chiyoko continued to rush towards each other, which was no longer as impactful as the first time. Haru's body dropped lower as they approached, much like a rugby player preparing for a tackle, but Chiyoko's eyes missed nothing and this would prove to be the start of a fatal mistake.Sumo wrestlers were known for their explosive power, strong cores, and powerful bodies, but Chiyoko observed a surprising weakness: their legs. It wasn't that sumo wrestlers' legs were untrained, far from it, but sumo wrestlers' legs could only withstand so much, and their normal matches saw weights in excess of 600 pounds collide with each other, causing havoc on their legs and sometimes irreversible damage.
Haru's tackle missed its target as Chiyoko jumped to the side as the two came face to face, not wanting his target to escape his grasp. Haru put all of his weight on his left leg, attempting to follow Chiyoko with his shoulder in a fashion similar to a shoulder tackle, but Chiyoko seemed to read his mind and was ready for it, she didn't move; all she did as this nearly 400-pound monster tried to push his entire body weight into her was a simple kick. Her knee bent and her leg quickly extended as she twisted her body performing a sidekick to ensure the ball of her heel could connect directly with his kneecap, a sickening crack could be heard as the kick connected and Haru's shoulder tackle aimed at Chiyoko instead struck the floor full force as his support was taken out from under him.
The kick itself was nothing special, but what caused the damage was one of the Aikido principles of using the attacker's force against them. Haru already had his entire body weight on one leg and was using it to move 378 pounds worth of weight combined with a well-aimed kick and it would be like forcing your kneecap to hold your entire weight while being forced to bend in an unnatural manner it was common sense that anything under that type of strain would snap.
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. I didn't expect your knee to give way like that."
While her words spoke of remorse, the look on her face did not; it was a look of pure and simple superiority, one that was only shown to Haru as Chiyoko knelt beside him. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, BITCH."
Haru reached up a hand to grab Chiyoko, clearly not out of the fight just yet. "It's clear why they call you The Beast now; you're nothing more than a rabid dog who needs to learn some manners."
Chiyoko jumped back to her feet and out of the way of his hand, feeling bad for a second as she watched him struggle back to his feet, his teeth clenched and clearly in pain.YumeSeeing the man struggling in her grasp, she didn't let up on her hold, until she felt him tap against her arm, indicating he accepted defeat. Obliging his wishes, Yume released her "death grip" she had on him and climbed back to her feet, placing one foot on her fallen opponent to assure he had no plans of getting back up.
ChiyokoChiyoko looked away for a second, staring at Okra as she finished off the other brother, giving a slight nod of the head in acknowledgement of her skill before returning her attention to Haru, who had given up trying to stand and was crawling towards Chiyoko. Chiyoko's form twisted once more in the same style as seen before, and everyone expected a kick. Instead, Chiyoko fell right on her bottom as the announcer caught her off guard and called the fight, much to Chiyoko's surprise, technical knockouts were apparently a thing.
Both
"We have your winner's, by submission and knock out. Okra Sage and Tomoe Gozen."
There was a moment of silence in the audience; even after the first round, no one expected a second upset, let alone one so soon, but these two girls delivered. Yume took her foot off Katsu's back and approached Chiyoko, who stood up after her rather embarrassing finish. Yume's hand rose into the air as the two approached, and Chiyoko slapped it instinctively, the pair high-fiving in triumph. Cheers erupted throughout the arena as the slap jolted the audience awake from their trance. Chiyoko struck up a conversation with Yume as she exited the arena and returned to the waiting area."So Okra, where'd you learn to fight like that?"
She said the name Okra with a sarcastic tone, still not believing it was the girl's name.Chiyoko
Yume
Leo
Haru
Katsu
Announcer
Yume
Leo
Haru
Katsu
Announcer
Nothingness
Two Thousand Club
Wxnter
meet me at area 51
FANG AND VALERIE
A moment passed, then another, before one of the bodyguards wordlessly entered the room behind them. As the door creaked open Fang was able to probe the layout of the room in that instant. It was more furnished than the booth he grew familiar with, including one premium television and an intricately carved mahogany table. Whoever she was, it was glaring that her status exceeded Nobu and his fellows. Only a second later, Fang was allowed to enter. Fang wondered if the expediency was due to Nobu’s status as a businessman or this person's confidence in her security personnel. Regardless, he was careful to keep his hands within sight as he entered the booth.
Across from him, the viewing panel was already broadcasting another fight. Beneath them, in the ring, Fang could make out a bundle of pink hair that appeared unusually familiar. It was uncanny enough to distract him for a brief window before his gaze was brought downward at the ring of the bell.
The brooding woman ahead of him had danger latticed onto her skin, and she didn’t even spare him a glance as she continued to take a sip of her wine. It took Fang's brain some time to adjust to the contrast between her beauty and the intensity radiating off of her. Dark hair fell into her eyes like silk tresses, but it was the clear dark orbs that caught Fang's attention first. They were large and perfectly framed by dark lashes that glistened like embers. When he finally looked back down to her lower features, Fang felt himself swallow hard.
It was subtle, but her body posture reminded him of his mentor—Fu. That of a refined master just barely out of practice, yet ready to strike at any moment. Her guise was stalwart; her arms hung relaxed but held a compactness to them that only a seasoned warrior could achieve. Despite the fact that her form seemed more feminine, her face held the same cruel sense of detachment that Fu's did when he was about to issue a punishment.
“Well?” The woman set her wine glass down and eyed him from head to toe. Judging by the look on her face, she found his uniform offensively plain. Fang took a deep inhale to chill his fretfulness before opening his lips to speak. Instead of words, a sharp murmur fled from the back of his throat. His eyes darted away from his own embarrassment as he adjusted his shirt listlessly.
Steeling himself with a nervous laugh—he tried a second time, “The message is on this box. I have no idea what it says but he told me to deliver it.” He stepped forward, but a bodyguard gestured for him to stop, and instead, they took the torn pizza box lid from Fang’s hands. This distrustfulness and lack of agency were becoming tiring. Outwardly, he slumped his shoulders and inwardly he grit his teeth. As a child, he was forced to deal with these types on occasion. Always seeing him as either cheap labor or a worthless body to pile for their own fortune. The bodyguard moved away from Fang and gently pushed the torn box toward Valerie, which she received with a slight annoyance.
Etched onto the back in sloppy penmanship read, “Heard a rumor you lost your head lookin’ for something. Didn’t think you’d want to lose Daddy's money too. Guess you can’t ask him for a new one?” While his back faced the door, his form was subtly primed for a quick escape. Valerie’s gaze darkened, and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. The atmosphere in the room grew thick as they watched her with bated breath. Suddenly, an unexpected burst of laughter rang in the air. They released the breath they didn’t realize they were holding and exchanged nervous glances—no one dared to speak. No one understood how such a sweet-sounding laugh could sound so menacing at the same time.
Valerie tore the message apart and discarded the pieces onto the carpeted floor. “Ahh. It’s amusing when someone so inferior dares to challenge me,” said Valerie through gritted teeth, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes.
“It seems that this man, Nobu, is keeping tabs on you. How would you like to handle it, Miss Valerie?” The old butler spoke. His voice sounded soft and gentle in contrast to the woman’s sharp and commanding voice.
“I believe there’s a saying that goes…” she paused briefly, her gaze drifting toward Fang. “Don’t shoot the messenger.” Valerie rose from the couch and took slow steps toward him, stopping just inches away from his face. “But what better way to send a message?” she raised an eyebrow, her golden eyes piercing into his with hostility.
Fang swallowed hard, feeling pressure start to build in the pit of his stomach. For a moment, Fang considered running. There was little doubt that he was outmatched here. But now that he was in the crosshairs of her ire, it was a different story. Something seemed to spark in him, as though fate itself was pushing him forward. With a deep breath, he stepped boldly towards Valerie. “Because the messenger has a better way.” Fang felt a rush of energy coursing through his veins, and he let his voice carry over him as he continued, "If you give me the chance, I’ll make sure Nobu won’t bother you again.” There was a nervous tremble in his voice and it was clear that he was speaking off the cuff.
He was a corned mouse caught in the eye of the storm. Fang knew he had to act fast or he would get crushed by the sheer force of the raging war. Fang decided that the best course of action was to work with purpose. By acting decisively, he could gain the upper hand in this situation. Between the two forces, he’d prefer to take his chances with Nobu. Turning his gaze away from Valerie, his sight flew to one of the booths across from them. With his right hand, he pointed a finger to match the direction of his gaze. “Watch for yourself. All I would want in return is protection. I’m sure someone like you can keep security lax for a minute or two?”
His heart was hammering against his ribcage, yet he still found the courage to raise his voice. Fang couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at being able to speak to her, even if it was on her own terms. "I mean… we share a common enemy. Someone who has been tormenting us both." As he finished speaking, he felt his chest tighten. The sound of his voice was like thunder in his ears.
Valerie stared at him for a moment, before finally bursting into laughter. This time it was a genuine, hearty laugh. Her eyes crinkled, and a disarming smile was plastered on her face. His response was not what she expected, she reckoned that he would beg for his life. “When an ant bites you, do you think of it as your enemy? No, you simply brush it off and carry on with your day.” Valerie stepped away from Fang and sank back into the couch. “You amuse me, but I don’t need your help taking care of someone so small and insignificant.” She crossed her legs and looked at the television screen, just in time for the announcer to declare the new winners, Okra Sage and Tomoa Gozen. Weird names. “But I do like your spirit. Why don’t you work for me?” She glanced once more at his eyesore of a uniform, then added, “Or you can continue to slave away at that mediocre pizza parlor, barely making ends meet. Up to you.” Without breaking eye contact, Valerie reached for a cigarette and placed it between her lips, lighting it with a gold-plated lighter that had her initials engraved on it. “Think about it,” she said as trails of smoke escaped her mouth.
Two dark eyebrows soared upwards to the very edge of his cap. His mouth hung agape in sheer confusion. Fang couldn’t believe what he heard. He wasn't sure if it was because she offered him a job or how casually she made the offer. Either way, he found himself at a loss for words. In his mind, he was reeling from the sudden turn of events, while the rest of him was frozen in disbelief. It took him a full five seconds before he could open his mouth to respond. "Umm…" The words sounded like they came from someone else. Fang shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I—I don't know what to say," Fang stuttered. "It's just… you're offering me a job?"
Fang’s shoulders slumped downwards as the atmosphere of the booth felt a lot less oppressive. It was as though he had achieved his goal by talking to her, even if it wasn't what he wanted. But despite the relief he felt at the sudden shift, there was also a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had to admit that he liked the idea of working for Valerie, even though it meant losing his job. It wasn’t so much that he enjoyed working at the restaurant, but rather the sense of accomplishment he got from doing honest labor.
"I'll accept," said Fang, his tone uncharacteristically firm. It surprised him how quickly he made up his mind. It seemed that this opportunity outweighed his current concerns. In any case, Fang hoped that he wouldn't regret his decision.
“Great. Why don’t you take a seat?” Valerie smirked.
Outside the booth, it was finally time for one of the most high-stakes fights of the night thus far. Looking for a free seat, he approached it and let his body melt into its frame. He had a lot of questions on his mind, but for now, he thought it better to recoup and watch the fight. With one hand he removed the cap from his head and sat it on his lap. The fight was about to begin.
Horror
wigi
One Thousand Club
ryuji was in the room , he sat in silance but his mind was going through multiple scenarios .
" that last battle was amazing , slanky and slim looking but that kick , its terrifying " he thinks to himself
some people give ryuji a strange feeling , like an aura around their bodies , menacing , powerfull , bright , its different from person to person , including demons , and the fact that multiple people give off a strange powerfull aura in here made him terrified , he watches as xiang steps off the ring. his heart begins beating fast , he's stressed .
"fighting like a slayer wont be a good idea , fighting too simularly to these guys would put me in danger"
he steps out of the room after one of the men working here knocks on his door
"its your turn kid"
ryuji takes a gulp of the water bottle throwing it in the trash can on his way out , he cant be dehydrated going into a fight where he might be put against an aponent as strong as xiang , or stronger.
he walks out of the darkness into the ring side as the announcer grabs his mic
"heading to the ring , the brother of the past defeated champion rising from the ashes of his brother's defeat ready to take his rightfull place , the second heir to the haraldsen family name ; Herleif Haraldsen "
the crowd goes wild with cheers as their fallen champion's brother steps out from the darkness , and trudges into the ring side , he takes off a large cape with a hammer symbol on the back of it . the hulking man steps into the ring.
ryuji starts walking towards the ring slowly calculating the situation
"and his apponent , coming from the country sides of japan , a new fighter in his first and probably last professional fight , ryuji!"
ryuji's heart beats fast as time seems to slow down , he jumps into the ring standing infront of the viking.
ryuji throws the top layer of his kimono only leaving the normal black gi. he stands next to the giant viking who basically covers him fully.
the match starts and ryuji's mind starts racing as his apponent pulls his hand back and throws a punch at him
" we cant jump around and dodge like the other making myself a target . THAN I'LL TAKE THE PUNCHES HEAD ON"
ryuji takes a deep breath activating his breathing power as the punch lands causing the ring to shake , ryuji's face is pushed back , he smiles turning his face right back and pushing his apponents fist away with his own face .
harleif is shocked by the endurance of ryuji. he steps back in fear but pushes foreward unleching a barage of punches that ryuji eats up .
when the viking is tired out he steps back .
ryuji stands there with a nose bleed but he seems to be doing ok. he cracks his neck straightening his back breathing out.
ryuji pulls his arms back double punching the viking knocking his backwards before jumping up and stomping on the viking . he then unleaches a kick right in the face of the viking .
ryuji lands on the ground seeing his apponent stumbling back , quickly seeing the opertunity he delivers another double punch to the back of the knees sending the viking down to the ground .
the ring is filled with dust , as it clears up ryuji appears standing next to his fallen apponent
the demon slayer puts his hands up to the sides to celebrate , the crowd quickly goes from shock to cheering .
"and we have a winner by knockout , this is an interesting night ladies and gentlemen , the firestorm , ryuji!"
ryuji takes a deep breath , this is the best he could do to hide the fact that he's a demon slayer , no showing off today.
ryuji steps out of the rings grabbing the kimono part that he took off .
as he walks back to his room, the crowd sheering slowly becomes more and more obscured by the walls of the locker rooms and he sees xiang , his breathing becomes faster and he walks up to man in yellow.
"h-hi , y-you're fight was amazing , you beat that guy with one kick , whered'ya train" he says watching out for any strange movement or attack coming from xiang.
Last edited:
Ploegy
"The arcana is the means by which all is revealed"
Nothingness
Two Thousand Club
ShinGeorgeTownRaja
Member
Jimmy Awesome/Luigi Biagi
Place: The ArenaWith: Xiang Zhao (
Nothingness
)Mood: Excited
As the battle between Xiang Zhao and a rather tall opponent raged on, Luigi couldn't help but cheer him on. Even though the battle was just getting started, his impulsiveness was getting the best of him. In fact, he knew who Xiang was because it was obvious that he was formerly a Demon Slayer so he heard a few rumors about him from someone. Well, he still couldn't seem to recognize Fang at first that was but it was far from that.
His voice kept getting louder and louder, causing the businessmen to be annoyed by him. He tried his best to get Xiang's attention but nothing came to be because other spectators were cheering too loudly for him. However, he kept trying. And he kept trying again.
"Come on Xiang, don't let that tall bastard beat you!" exclaimed Luigi.
The businessmen had enough of Luigi's excruciating shouting. Therefore, they decided to urge him to keep it down a few notches. A simple shushing would do for them.
"Shush!" said the businessmen who were trying to watch the fight distraction-free.
"Oops, sorry about that. I guess I got a little too carried away..." said Luigi in embarrassment.
(OOC: Just a quick disclaimer, this happened prior to the fight because I posted it too late. Mistake happens, you know. lol)
wigi
One Thousand Club
"a mentor you say , i never had one , i trained by watching people fight "
ryuji was beginning to feel a bit more comfortable but the comment about his clothing made him stressed again.
"o-oh , t-this old thing , it was a-a gift , grandparents gave it to me "
ryuji's head goes wild with stress , he quickly turns himself around hiding his already hidden sword.
ryuji feels blood going down his nose and tries to wipe it.
"that viking brother was something , but im sure his brother was stronger , i still cant get over that kick"
he was amazed , but terrified , that viking could be him if this man is a demon in disguise , i mean ryuji can sense when someone's off but he cant just know , he's still not that good.
Nothingness
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Dextra
Junior Member
Demon Slayer
Chiyoko
♡coded by uxie♡
Kovacs
the maestro of mad shit.
Code by Nano
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Horror
..........
Fang Guiying
Battle after battle brewed in the arena below, and the arena’s cheers soared after each clash. More money traded hands in five minutes than Fang was confident he would see in a hundred lifetimes. But, in all of his reveries, he never foresaw himself in a VIP booth across from one of the most affluent capitalists in Japan. There were a lot of questions on his mind for Valerie, but Fang chose to withhold them while the most crucial fight of the night waged on beneath the stands … the long-awaited brawl between Xiang and Odger.
As the fight endured, there was a glaring truth—Xiang was not human. His strength, his speed, and the way his muscle fibers contorted through his fancy ensemble; were more akin to that of an ancient beast than a man. Yet, despite this revelation, the crowd still roared. They wanted blood, they wanted carnage. They needed it if they wanted their wallets to continue to swell.
Unwieldy, his strength was not even close to the brawn of humans. Fang was never more certain of anything else. Xiang was a demon. That ending kick sent shockwaves through everyone's bones. Even those who didn't know what had happened could feel its power course throughout their bodies like electricity. It was something inhuman. The audience sat in cold silence as he issued a decree—an audience with those who placed money on, or against, his name.
It struck him then, why Valerie made the bet that she did. Slowly, he turned his head to face her and read her face. A single thought reverberated within his mind as he gawked, did she know? His mouth parted to ask the question plainly when a far-off ruckus shook the walls of their booth. At first, Fang could not make out what it was, but then it dawned on him like a cold wave crashing down upon him. It was the sound of an approaching battle. What had just happened? He wasn't sure. The noise continued, louder now, more urgent. A disturbance among the guards, some clamoring and others cowering. With the increased volume came a sharp pain deep inside his chest, a burning sensation that felt like acid eating away at his insides. He felt it at least a hundred other times. It was a demon, likely the very same one that made demands of Valerie at the arena. Fang's hand reached for a shape at his side but his grip found no purchase, ‘left the sword at home…’
Silence, it cut him with its razor edge. He could hear every beat of his heart and the blood pumping through his veins. Just outside the border of their sanctuary, something struggled to operate the card reader. One, two, three, beeps before a final green glow shone from the gadget controlling the locking mechanism. The doors swung open and a dark figure stood at the threshold. His short and shiny blue hair reflected against the overhead lights, and his angular features were marred by the ragged bone embroidered to his jaw. To his surprise, it was not the demon from the arena, but another, different one. Was it an enemy of Valeries, or a goon sent by Nobu? Either way, they were both unwelcome. It toyed with the unconscious body of a guard like a cat showing off a gutted mouse.
Leaping out of his chair, his eyes scoured frantically for a weapon. His eyes fell on the table across him, the thick wooden surface, polished to perfection. He placed his hand upon it and felt its smoothness. Nowhere else in the room was there anything even close to a blade. “I’m sorry about this. I’ll have to explain later.” With a kick, the leg of the mahogany table snapped as wood splattered across the floor and its unbalanced body crumbled to the floor. In Fang's hand was his prize, a wooden stick. Fang rushed toward Valerie and pushed himself against the wall. His back pressed firmly into the stone, steeling himself for the imminent danger. Dealing with the affluent was a task that was best given to his betters, but a demon? That was a beast that he knew well. A curt laugh ruptured from his lips as his eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare.
The wooden stick twirled within his palm as he ran his fingers along its length. Its weight and feel were perfect. Abruptly he spun it like a blade before taking the stance of a warrior; his feet spread to be shoulder-width apart, his knees bent and his arms extended. He felt his muscles flex, his lungs take in air as his arms tensed up and his shoulders hunched. Ready, he was ready for anything. He kept his eyes peeled for any sudden movements, his ears attuned to every crackle, his senses tuned for any hint of an attack.
All of his anxiety, his fears, his apprehension … fate provided a perfect opportunity to distract from it all. At that moment, he was nothing but a master of his craft, a swordsman, a warrior. As formidable a force as demons were, there was a certainty to their strength—unlike the moguls who toyed with his life and emotions. This was his world. He understood it better than anyone else alive. There was no more fear, no anxiety, only the thrill of battle.
“Just a pizza boy? Guess you haven’t seen my full resume.”
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