Unfortunately, she was right. His liberal application of speed was no different from anybody else doing the same. And damn, if she hadn't intercepted him like a pro. Angela hadn't come away unscathed herself, but she hadn't been [i]quite[/i] as hurt as he was. Again, she'd gone down as he had, but this time he was hurting more and was only rising [i]this[/i] quickly out of necessity and military training. Never stay down. Never allow your opponent to get a free hit in. Niko got to his feet, rubbing his chest where he'd been clotheslined. That was proper fire, right there. He was happy that Angela was getting the fight she was craving, even let out a bried laugh - it hurt to laugh - to her smirk, but inside... Inside, things were very serious, indeed. He didn't want to end it here if he had any say in the matter. He wouldn't be at all happy if he didn't give it everything he got. And while Niko had been hoping to save this back...a part of him knew that Angela was good enough that she'd require him to do it, to attack with all his might...and his own special technique. They stood facing each other again, a little distance between them, but...he figured if he did it now, she wouldn't be able to evade it. That would give him back the edge, if not put him through to victory. It may all very well hinge on this... [hider=Flaaashbaaack...] They had been up on the mountains - master and student, soldier and superior officer - training like hell, more intensely than he had ever done back at the base with the rest of the class. Finally, one day, close to sunset, she stopped him. He had been sparring and going through physical exercises with this taller, somehow stronger, pink-haired adult woman, Athena, and now... [b][color=ec008c]"Alright, you're ready."[/color][/b] [color=92278f]"You mean, we're finished training?"[/color] [b][color=ec008c]"No, we're [i]beginning[/i]. All this was just to make sure your body could handle the stresses of what I'm about to show you. It's a last resort...or maybe a [i]best[/i] resort. It's down to the user, really."[/color][/b] She held up her hand so he could see clearly, then balled it into a fist. Almost immediately after, the hand began to vibrate...and then rotate. Not like spinning at the wrist, because Athena was as human as he was. The [i]arm[/i]seemed to move around in the tightest of circular motions, like the fist was in a circular blur of motion, and it was ever-increasing... After a few seconds of this, she turned and thrust her arm away from them both, striking the rockface and causing terrible damage as a wind vortex arose to scatter stones and dust all over the place! Athena let out a sigh. She'd just destroyed a good chunk of landscape. [color=ec008c][b]"This is the Tornado Fist. I'm giving it to you, Niko. I know you can do it, and I think you're the one to have it."[/b][/color] [color=92278f]"Athena... Are you sure about this?"[/color] [b][color=ec008c]"Niko, I'm over 40. I may not look it, but I'm startin' to think it's time I passed my [i]real[/i] skills on...and you're the best student I've had, so far. I need to say I went through life with no regrets, doing everything I can and accomplishing everything I could. This strength of mine should never die, so starting today, you're working on destroying boulders with your bare hands."[/color][/b] [color=92278f]"Wait, [i]what?[/i]"[/color] [color=ec008c][b]"Yeah, what I did there is the fully-charged version. You oughta' be able to do the quick one, by now. Maybe after enough practice and 'leveling up', you can work up to full power. Heh, and [i]then[/i] things get interesting. Now, get to work, soldier! We've got daylight still!"[/b][/color] They would work through the night, Athena's velvet-glove-around-an-iron-fist method of teaching getting him to focus himself, and eventually...success! [/hider] ...but would it be enough? As Angela made her declaration, he would pull his hand back in his stance, saying [color=92278f]"I know. So do I."[/color] as the clenched fist began to vibrate and rotate in a blur. He hadn't mastered the full power of his move like Athena had shown him, but he had gotten on the ground floor and managed the instant-form. Angela came forward to try and sock him one good under the jaw. She would see the seriousness in his eyes...and know he had something of importance riding on this, as well. His fist came forward, carrying unexpected force generated by that personal vortex. In English, it was the Tornado Fist. Niko preferred it in Japanese. [color=92278f][i]Tatsumaki-Ken...[/i][/color] He would throw his body weight into it, the whirlwind of force released from his fist surging around him as he pressed forwards, trying to blast Angela away or aside as he carried on through. [i][b]Serious[/b][/i] Sudden Death Leap (You know the kind.) [u][i][b]Secret Technique[/b][/i][/u] Tatsumaki-Ken (Tornado Fist) Power Level: 60 Health: 32 --Attack: 30 x 2.5 = [b][i]75[/i][/b] ---Speed: 30 x 2 = [i][b]60[/b][/i] -Defense: 0