[center] [img][/img] [url=https://imgchest.com/p/pg73d322oyr][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/285910fa25c8.png[/img][/url] [h3][color=FF2400][u][b]Level 7 Ryu[/b][/u][/color][/h3] [sub][color=FF2400][b]EXP :[/b][/color] 20/70 (+4 pts.) [color=FF2400][b]Location :[/b][/color] The Pools, Esaka [color=FF2400][b]Word Count :[/b][/color] 3,038[/sub] [/center] [center] [url=https://imgchest.com/p/a8463828g4x][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/7d68e061c1d8.webp[/img][/url] ▶︎• ၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌၊|• 15:01 [sub][url=https://youtu.be/ZEXvnhCRjDg?si=QVBSLCqhoVdF2jP-]Theme of Northern River (Extended) – Marvel vs. Capcom 2[/url][/sub] [/center] [color=FF2400][i]Focus, Ryu![/i][/color] [i]C’mon, Tiger! Shrewd as a snake, innocent as a dove.[/i] [b][i]DING![/i][/b] [b][i]DING![/i][/b] [hr] [center][color=FFD700][b][h3][sub][u]RYU VS. TIGER[/u] ROUND 2 – FIGHT![/sub][/h3][/b][/color][/center] [hr] Both Ryu and Tiger could feel anticipation in the air, as the bell rang and the floating ethereal widgets reappeared close to them, displaying their respective health and stamina. As it was the prior bout, a V-sign emblem appeared next to Ryu’s recharged health bar to symbolize his victory in the first round. The spectators had only gotten louder and noisier when both competitors assumed their stances and circled each other. While most voiced their support for Ryu, it wasn’t to say that very few spectators were behind Tiger, either, seeing that he still had his self-professed followers and fellow martial masters as his support system. One of the martial masters was [url=https://fightersgeneration.com/nf8/char5/martial-masters/redsnake-martialmasters-art-highres.jpg]a red-haired woman[/url] sporting a golden head piece and a scanty verdant outfit that left her midriff bare, blowing a kiss to the evangelist from beyond the gondola. Aside from Red Snake, Reika and a few others were evidently present to accompany Tiger in the second round. “C’mon, Tiger, don’t give up!” Reika shouted aloud, jumping and raising her curled hands. “You got this!” “Let’s go, Tiger! Let’s go, Tiger!” chanted [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/char5/martial-masters/saojin-martialmasters-official-art.jpg]a brown-haired woman[/url] in a baggy blue-and-pink getup, theatrically [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/game3/martial-masters/gif/saojin-martial-masters-dance.gif]dancing[/url] with her arms swinging left and right. “Ho ho ho! Knock him out, Tiger boy! I know you could,” said [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/char5/martial-masters/drunk-masters-martialmasters-official-art.jpg]an elderly drunken fist expert[/url], belching after sipping the alcoholic beverage within the gourd-shaped bottle in his hand. Yet, despite the anticipation, none of the competing men seemed to be trying to attack one another. Well, at least, not yet. Ryu and Tiger were still busy trying to gauge each other’s expressions, eager to get into each other’s heads. It appeared that Tiger was still holding himself back from going all out with the offense, while Ryu raised his guards high enough to anticipate any and every attack thrown in his direction. Eventually, as the crowd’s noises grew, the martial master decided to play along with them, taunting the street fighter with flexing biceps. The taunt managed to charge his power meter, albeit slightly. “C’mon!” Tiger exclaimed with a smirk. Instead of getting provoked, Ryu chose to play along, as well. He grasped and pulled both tails of his headband tightly—not to fasten the red headgear, but to taunt his opponent. [color=FF2400]“[i]Kakattekoi[/i]!”[/color] he shouted back with the Japanese equivalent of ‘come on,’ subconsciously building his own power meter. At the reciprocating taunt, Tiger strode backwards, spreading his arms in front of the spectators quizzically. He wasn’t quite expecting the reaction at all, but given Ryu’s game plan, it wasn’t hard to imagine him holding himself a little longer to bait his opponent to attack first. At the same time, Tiger wasn’t planning on bombarding the street fighter immediately like he did in the first round, so he continued to play mind games with him and flexed his biceps again. “C’mon!” he exclaimed, his voice louder. Still, despite the taunting gesture, Ryu remained unfazed. He instead taunted back with his gloved fist extending, his knuckles facing the martial master directly. And as he charged his own power meter, he declared… [color=FF2400]“Talk is cheap!”[/color] …which prompted Tiger to raise both of his eyebrows then scrunch his face, the slightest hints of offense readable across his face. Had he talked a little too much? He didn’t think so. Sure, when it came to spreading gospels, he could come across as being preachy and talkative, but in the middle of a bout like this? He’d rather let his fists and claws speak for himself, instead of his mouth, acting as the extension of God’s unlimited power. And so, after his attempts to provoke Ryu fruited nothing, Tiger decided to close the distance with [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/53a63438b631.jpg]a clawing thunderclap[/url], his movements sharp yet sudden. There were a pair of auric scythe-shaped energies trailing behind his thrusting arms, as he attempted to leave his opponent’s dark temples with grazes. [b][i]SLASH![/i][/b] Did it work? Unfortunately, before the special move could connect, Ryu had already leaped out of harm’s way, his curling frame casting a shadow over his lunging opponent. The street fighter landed right back on his feet behind the puzzled martial master, stomping the raft with a resounding… [b][i]THUMP![/i][/b] It was [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/05e37cfe97ff.gif]a simple taunt[/url], yet it managed to shake and jolt the barrels in place. He didn’t forget to strike his arms out and spread his legs, allowing the force from beneath to course through his veins and charge his power meter. Tiger, alerted by the stomp, immediately shifted around, as if facing his opponent automatically. He didn’t follow his clawing assault up just yet. Instead of betting on his offenses completely, he chose to approach the second round strategically, entering his kung fu stance and striking his clawing hands outward, observing and baiting Ryu to strike. From the gondola, the martial master could already hear most spectators urging Ryu to [i]“beat him up!”[/i] and chanting [i]“go home, Ken clone!”[/i] right in front of his face, the unwelcoming exclaims piercing his ears. Oftentimes, they even went as far as giving Tiger all sorts of nicknames, ranging from the playful but harmless ‘Catholic Ken’ to the harsh ‘[i]Kuso[/i] Knockoff.’ Still, whether in good taste or bad taste, the chants didn’t quite affect the martial master at all. He instead sighed, inwardly prayed for the heckling spectators for [i]they know not what they do[/i], while still keeping an eye on the street fighter. Ryu, on the other hand, continued to raise his guards close to his mandible, his fists hardening and his bare feet bobbing. The way his fellow Esakans ridiculed a number of fighters who looked almost like himself or Ken often made him sick to the stomach, though he remained undistracted. Not when his opponent had already lunged in his direction again with a pair of [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/54b5e534ab2d.jpg]alternating uppercuts[/url]. [b][i]BAM![/i][/b] [b][i]POW![/i][/b] [b]“TIGER… CLAW!!”[/b] Given the first round, Ryu knew for certain that Tiger was a sucker for offenses, and he wouldn’t want to fall for his trap anymore. Instead of opting for a regular block, [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/ab4b5b8fc41f.webp]he parried each and every energy-laced uppercut[/url] with a loud [b][i]clash[/i][/b], erupting a bluish hitspark each time his opponent’s fist collided with his forearm. Once foiled, the martial master swung his arm upwards and attempted to run his claws across his torso, though before the sharp appendages could graze his skin, Ryu had already ducked, narrowly evading the sharp, stinging strike. This, thankfully, allowed the street fighter to ambush the martial master with [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/129533d43238.gif]a heavy-hitting, rising uppercut[/url], bouncing the latter several feet to the back with a loud… [b][i]POW![/i][/b] [color=FF2400][b]“SHORYUKEN!!”[/b][/color] Just like that, Ryu scored the first attack for the second round. Upon landing back atop the raft, Tiger curled himself and reeled back, immediately halting on his knee. Just when he thought he’d distanced himself from his opponent… [color=FF2400][b]“TATSUMAKI SENPUUKYAKU!!”[/b][/color] Ryu had appeared scarily close to him with an outstretched leg, [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/53b8c8d219e0.gif]hovering and spinning like a hurricane[/url]. While Tiger managed to block the first half of the tornado kick, its intensifying speed and strength eventually forced him out of his defensive stance, the bare ankle knocking his golden temple over and over. The Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku ended up launching the martial master towards the other end of the raft, cornering him completely. [b][i]WHAM![/i][/b] “Woahhh–!!” By the time he was recovered, Tiger had found himself standing rather unsteadily by the raft’s edge, the gentle sound of the rustling wave eerily vivid to his ears. As Ryu reached the raft again, he wasted no time and punished his opponent with a [color=FF2400][b]“HADOUKEN,”[/b][/color] blasting [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/472845ce0449.gif]that regular blue fireball[/url] out of his hands. Out of instinct, Tiger leaped and dodged past the travelling fireball, closing the gap separating them with a diving kick. [b][i]THWACK![/i][/b] The ambush immediately connected, catching the street fighter off guard. The martial master soon followed it up with [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/game3/martial-masters/gif/tiger-martial-masters-kick-animation.gif]an axe kick[/url] and [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/5f3f5dcf6c65.jpg]a flip kick[/url], cancelling both attacks into each other rather swiftly. Although Ryu managed to block both kicks, he soon had to succumb to Tiger’s raw strength when he broke through his defense with [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/c1a39444428c.jpg]a multi-hitting shoulder tackle[/url], having himself shoved several feet to the back. [b][i]CRASH![/i][/b] [b]“TIGER ATTACK!!”[/b] [color=FF2400]“Gwahhh–!!”[/color] The street fighter tumbled and reeled on his back, subsequently laying on his midriff. He could sense that his feet were close to slipping past the precipice, the rustling wave beneath nearly grazing his soles. While he continued to recline, the martial master had already left the ground, his boots only moments away from stomping his back. Bad idea, he thought, considering how easy it was to exploit said attack in the last round. Fortunately, it didn’t take a while for Ryu to wake up and dragon-punched his descending opponent right across his mandible, bringing his bare feet out of the raft in a flying motion. [b][i]BAM![/i][/b] [color=FF2400][b]“SHORYUKEN!!”[/b][/color] This marked the second time he (successfully) executed a Shoryuken onto his opponent, the very tactic lulling Tiger into a false sense of security. However, like a double-edged knife, the rising uppercut left Ryu wide open while still in mid-air, rendering him vulnerable to each and any anti-air attack. Tiger, having been recovered and reached the ground, ambushed Ryu from beneath his feet, executing [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/555496551995.jpg]a flying shoulder tackle[/url]. [b][i]WHAM![/i][/b] [b]“CROUCHING TIGER!!”[/b] And Ryu immediately swallowed the flying, ramming shoulder without being able to block, harshly descending towards the right side of the raft. [b][i]CRASH![/i][/b] [color=FF2400]“Gahahhh–!!”[/color] As the impact, the street fighter collided with the nearby barrels on his back, tossing one of them into the water. The collision immediately sent Ryu bouncing forth, dropping face first atop the raft. When Tiger landed and took a quick glance over the power meter beneath, he noticed that he had yet to activate any of his power bars throughout the bout. If the number shown next to his power meter was to go by, then perhaps, he’d gained access to his Level 3 super move. Given that Ryu was still struggling to stand, Tiger activated every single one of the power bars he’d obtained throughout the bout, setting the number next to his power meter to zero. A bright, flickering light appeared, as he went mindlessly feral like the beast he was named after—a complete opposite of the merciful, God-loving evangelist Ryu was accustomed to. Executing the strongest variant of the [url=https://youtu.be/xZI82WXZv3A?si=7iXdTZfIj_Oqb44I&t=2m2s]Breaker[/url], Tiger pounced on his prey, ready to claw and tear the street fighter into pieces. [b]“RRAAHHH–!!!”[/b] The martial master lunged closer and closer. However, before his clawing hand could connect… [b][i]POW![/i][/b] …Ryu had already woken up, flailing him in the gut with his fist. Tiger’s cheeks puffed as the knuckles knotted his stomach, close to throwing up. As if one devastating blow wasn’t enough… [b][i]BAM![/i][/b] …he followed it up with the one that went straight to his opponent’s mandible, employing an alternating fist, instead. Once everything was said and done… [b][i]WHAM![/i][/b] [b][color=FF2400]“No escape!”[/color][/b] …the street fighter concluded the series of devastating strikes with the strongest variation of Shoryuken, launching his opponent with him. His battle cry was exclaimed, louder than ever before. [color=FF2400][b]“SHIN… SHORYUKEN!!!”[/b][/color] There was a massive, ink-like hitspark forming around where Ryu’s knuckles had grazed the martial master, as the [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/2a6aa2b071ab.gif]Shin Shoryuken[/url] was executed. Little did Tiger realize that Ryu had been intentionally keeping all his power bars intact for this exact moment. For every time the blow connected, Tiger’s health bar was drastically drained to the point where he was closer and closer to getting knocked out. After the final blow connected, the Level 3 super move successfully sent the martial master back to the raft, his back harshly colliding with its sturdy surface. [b][i]THUD![/i][/b] [b]“ARGGHHH–!!”[/b] The collision’s harsh impact—combined with the damage inflicted upon him by the super move—was sufficient to knock Tiger out instantly, depleting what was left of his health bar. The metaphysical bell rang, and the martial master laid still with his eyes closed. [b][i]DING![/i][/b] [b][i]DING![/i][/b] As per tradition, the accompanying widgets dispersed, regathered, then morphed into letters of gold separating the street fighter from the fainting martial master. The announcement was displayed, and it declared: [hr] [center][color=FFD700][b][h3][sub][u]K.O.[/u] ROUND 2 – RYU WINS![/sub][/h3][/b][/color][/center] [hr] [color=FF2400]“[abbr=What’s wrong!? Get up!][i]Dōshita[/i]!? [i]Tate[/i]![/abbr]”[/color] Ryu urged, his face stern as he cast a glance over the prone Tiger. [color=FF2400]“I told you, you must defeat my Shoryuken to stand a chance!”[/color] [url=https://youtu.be/FvX_0ZsoMZo?si=moZSR2A1Kb_De_68]Most spectators screamed and rejoiced, as the original World Warrior champion came out victorious.[/url] Instead of absorbing the noises of the crowd, Ryu only closed his eyes and stood still with his arms crossed, letting the gentle wind blow the tails of his headband. As the crowd carried on with the celebration, though, there was a defeated competitor still struggling to stand by the other corner of the raft as he woke up. When Ryu opened his eyes and turned his attention towards Tiger, he had only discovered that the martial master had been surrounded by his fair share of supporters upon his awakening. His missionary partners, the people whose lives he saved through the teachings of Christ, and his fellow martial masters had all stepped out of the gondola to lend him a helping hand. Out of all of them, only Felicia, Saojin, and Reika were close enough to reach out and help him lift himself up. But sure enough, when offered help, Tiger chose to turn down the offer, telling them “it’s okay” because the injuries were minor and that “I can still stand by myself.” With leisure strides, he approached the winning street fighter once he stood out of his sitting position, holding out a hand. “Congratulations, brother Ryu,” Tiger congratulated with a soft smile, his peaceful demeanor restored. “Once again, you’re the better fighter between us. I couldn’t be prouder. I knew you would’ve come on top, eventually.” Ryu smiled back and shook his opponent’s hand—more of a sign of gratitude than it was flattery. [color=FF2400]“Don’t undersell yourself like that. That was an excellent performance! This is why I hold the art of Chinese kung fu in high regard,”[/color] he praised before adding: [color=FF2400]“And frankly, you reignited something in me after our duel. It’s been so long since I fought somebody who could reinvigorate my spirit the way you did, even when it’s yet to die out.”[/color] Tiger snorted, nearly snickering. “It’s a pleasure, brother Ryu,” he said heartily. “A pleasure to bring you closer to God. It’s why I’m here in this tournament, after all: to serve and to share God’s love with my fellow Esakans. Eventually, I hope that God has helped you find your calling, too. If not now, then perhaps, God has better plans for you, whatever and whenever that is.” [color=FF2400]“Right,”[/color] Ryu answered pensively before adding: [color=FF2400]“Admittedly, I’d been contemplating what you told me before the match about saving the lost sheep, and I found that… maybe you're right. These fists aren’t just for battle anymore. They’re for defense, and we must use them for the goodness of others. You have no idea, Tiger, but travelling outside of Esaka has truly opened my eyes lately in regards to the world we’re living in. I must say that we’re fortunate enough to be gifted with the ability to fight because most people out there? They sure hoped that they had a fraction of what we could do. I think I’m getting closer to finding the answer to my question.”[/color] Tiger listened attentively, nodding at some of his words. It appeared that his teachings had started to make the street fighter think. “Oh, believe me, brother Ryu, I know,” he claimed, placing a reassuring hand over his opponent’s shoulder. “I spent most of my life spreading the word of God to the ends of Earth. I’d witnessed and experienced all kinds of unimaginable deeds done to men throughout my journey, so I understand how you feel.” And that reminded Tiger of when the White Lotus sect kidnapped and tormented his fellow missionaries during their trip to a neighboring country. He remembered the agony, the fright, and the anger he felt in that moment, especially when his mentor who had nothing to do with his mission was being involved. While the tragedy still left him scarred to this day, he’d, thankfully, learned to forgive the culprits ever since. He drew a deep, deep breath, continuing to speak before Ryu could even chime in. “Also, brother Ryu, before you leave, may I pray for you?” [color=FF2400]“Um… Sure!”[/color] Ryu answered with barely any hesitation—more out of respect than anything. He lowered his head and brought himself on both knees, as Tiger formed the sign of cross with his fingers, then held out an energy-laced hand atop his opponent’s head. The prayer began, and both men closed their eyes. “Dear Father in Heaven, we would like to thank You for this wonderful afternoon and for the spectacular match which You had allowed us to participate in. Thank You for allowing brother Ryu to win this battle. May Your mercy and wisdom guide his every path and help him get through every battle from now and forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray…” Before he concluded the prayer with an “Amen,” Tiger took a moment to read the ‘Our Father’ prayer in front Ryu, sensing as though a number of fellow believers had been following every part of the latter prayer that came out of his mouth. As both men opened their eyes, the martial master gave the street fighter one last friendly pat, his hand resting on the latter’s shoulder. “Remember that Jesus loves you, brother Ryu. He loves you so dearly that He gave His life for you so that you may be saved. May His grace be with you throughout the tournament from now and beyond. I’m sure it won’t take long until you find the answer you’ve been craving for. You just have to hang in there and let God do His wonders.” Ryu nodded. [color=FF2400]“I’ll try.”[/color] Already standing out of his kneeling position, he grabbed the duffle bag lying close to his toes, slinging it over his shoulder. He shifted around, though before he walked further, he gave Tiger one last glance over his shoulder, glimmers of gratitude evident through his eyes. [color=FF2400]“And… thank you,”[/color] he said. [color=FF2400]“Thank you for the prayer. May our paths cross again. Whenever that is...”[/color] “Hopefully,” Tiger reciprocated with a small nod, giving Ryu a gentle wave. “God bless, brother Ryu!” And that wrapped up Ryu’s second match in the World Warrior tournament. While they weren’t the best of the best, it was safe to say that his first two opponents managed to hold their own against the original World Warrior champion surprisingly well. His next opponent: [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Makoto_Mizoguchi]Makoto Mizoguchi[/url]. [b]FIN.[/b]