Great Dojo

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

On some level, he could admire the audacity it took to simply stroll in here after killing Jonathan in a duel with no audience nor record, admitting to the act in the same breath as he praised his own victory. Was that not the substance of this elegy? Vega scolded them for praising a singular quality of the dead man, but might as well have admitted that strength was the only one he himself valued, and Jonathan's merits were only great by how they had given him sport.

A lie, Zhang Liu thought. He would not easily swallow that this man, so concerned with cultivating his own appearance, was dedicated solely to the virtue of strength. Few were. Perhaps it was a convenient excuse, or one of many layers that he did not care nor have the ability to peel back. Either way, Vega had a face of steel. How else could he offer these prayers so bluntly?

The Source-Melting Hand felt his chest tighten when Sethrol emanated a flood of his true power, but scoffed pleasantly at how the elder handled the other man. It was a reaction without thought, but the next instant, his footing felt unsteady. Stabbing the shovel into the soft soil, Zhang Liu watched the two, reeling close his startled senses.

Sethrol wasn't in the habit of releasing his strength for threats. Zhang, the more belligerent of the two, hadn't even raised his fists to the assassin yet.

[Panda]

Nanako

Nanako's ears perked up when she heard the familiar voice, the squirrel girl turning on her heel to face Vega. Her eyes narrowed and she started walked towards him, but Sethrol got to him first. Nanako paused mid-step as his sheer aura hit her, her eyes widening as the older man closed the distance and sent a powerful blow Vega's way. Teetering for a moment as she stood there on one foot before putting the other down and staring the blonde down despite the height difference.

"Why?" was all she asked. It was all she wanted to know, in this moment.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

WOOOSH!!!

His hand was already raised when he held the cross. The two blows immediately crossed, and Sethrol's force shifted away from him. And yet-

"Kh...I'll keep that in mind, old man."

Despite their difference in speed, the sneering matador was only able to mitigate some of the brunt, ripping his sleeve and exposing his swollen skin and muscle. Sethrol's attack hurt. The genuine hate he held back escaped his glare for a moment, but he laughed it off all too soon. Suddenly, Vega snapped his fingers fabulously and pointed to the squirrel girl. Even ignoring the pain of his left forearm.

"Isn't it obvious, Nanako? He was quite adamant after challenging me so boldly, it's like he wanted to skewer and concuss me! I suppose that passion of his fired me up a little, so I accepted his full might in kind." He lowered his hand grimly for a moment, this time addressing the others. "But make no mistake: I didn't expect him to fall there and then. It was a valuable lesson, life is a fragile thing, even a fist can end it if it hits the right spot. I'm surprised you are so outraged, should I have let him impale me a few times to make a point? That doesn't seem right, Mr. Teacher.'

He shrugged. It was natural for such injuries to happen in street fights. Even a simple punch can kill if it lands right, every fighter knows that much. It was Jonathan's choice as well to fight with nothing held back, why should Vega have done any less? He had given him plenty of chances. Not that they'd have helped.

"It's your fault too, Sethrol. You never did teach him how to flee, did you?"

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

The fist sunk into his body and the old man heard the familiar sound of bone pressuring bone.  Those sounds in the past were terrifying, exhilarating, a sign of damage to oneself or others.  The more experience he had with it, the more he began to truly understand how horrible the sensation of damaging another was.  However, in this moment, there was little that could compare to the sense of satisfaction that washed over Sethrol.

A single exhausted breath left Sethrol's lips.  The tense striations in his muscles faded into a more smooth but wrinkly quality of an old man.  The aura around him faded as well.  For a moment, he stared at the masked performer.

"I wish I was his teacher longer," Sethrol said, staring at the body being handled by Zhang.  "It is precisely because our culture is so violent that we must learn to respect one another in battle.  If you were truly strong, he wouldn't have needed to die."

[Panda]

Nanako

The squirrel girl watched as Sethrol clashed with Vega for a moment, her tail stock still behind her as she frowned. It really didn't make sense for him to come here, and even less to all but invite Sethrol to take a swing at him. Nanako relaxed slightly as Sethrol's aura faded, but went quiet as Vega spoke. The squirrel girl's eyes narrowed, Nanako striding right up to him, her tail swishing furiously behind her.

"I'm sure that bull wanted to skewer you just as badly, and you managed to stop back then," she shot back, her eyes bright and hard as she stared up at the man, "So what made sparing him harder?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

He was about to answer Sethrol when Nanako asked something curious. For a moment, he cocked his head, hand resting on his cheek as if he were wondering something. A set of gorgeous aloof eyes stared right at Nanako, even as he looked puzzled as ever.

"Hrm? Did I do that?"

He strikes his hair back simply and gave her a shrug.

"I swear, you're such an oddball Nanako, getting heated like that! I mean, who cares right?" Sure he understood why someone like Sethrol would be upset, but why would Nanako care if the guy was dead or not? It's not like that meathead was complaining. Being a corpse helps there. "And I'm aware of that, old man. I am a superior existence, but that doesn't mean I'm the best version of me."

He paused for a second, almost giving Sethrol a more... considerate look. If you didn't know Vega, you'd almost think he respected the senile husk.

"I suppose I'll tell you one thing. It's only fair, you were the boy's teacher." He pulled out a rose and started toying with it, gently. Lovingly. "That fight was a consensual one, over the right to grasp your secrets. That... chi. It's the one thing you possess that I don't have. But I say, I've earned it by rights, haven't I? Being taught your power, those were the terms of the fight."

Until his fist crushed the flower, scattering the untouched petals into the winds. "You wouldn't trample on those scopes, would you? I understand you hate me, I can assure you the feeling is mutual. But that boy did deny my existence as much as I desired to enrich it. What happened happened, but it doesn't seem fair to deny the scope of the rules."

The boy's death would be quite pointless otherwise.

[yinsukin]

Sethrol the not calm

And just like that, Sethrol's arua flared up.  The ground beneath him shattered.  With every step he took, the ground shook.  The grass beneath each step evaporated into nothingness, replaced by a spider web like crack in the ground.  To say Sethrol was glaring at Vega did not do the expression proper justice.  The old man weilded two supernovas in his eye sockets and all of their explosive power was laser focused on Vega.  A hand rested on his shoulder, but it carried an unparalleled gentleness.  As his fingers wrapped around Vega's rear deltoid, Sethrol smiled.

"I don't know what you two discussed, but Jonathan was mistaken.  It is not up to me to decide who does or does not learn chi.  Power is something offered by the hand of fate to all who are swallowed by its ever reaching grip.  I will not turn away someone who wants help, but neither will I be responsible for what you do with it.  If you want to learn, all you need to do is come to my dojo during learning hours and seek training."

Sethrol' shadow was cast on the man and those eyes so passionate seemed to flare up even more with raw passionate rage.  "Thats what I would have said if you came to me even a week ago.  However, beyond simply hating you, it would be abhorrent of me to accept you into my dojo over the body of my student.  If you really want me to accept you as my student, you must overcome me in a duel."

Sethrol's aura raged like a wildfire and for the first time in years, he smiled with a sadistic grin.  "I wonder if Jonathan will enjoy his funeral present from the heavens, you kissing the feet of his corpse."

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

For the last few moments, he had been using nothing but his ears, unwilling to invest himself, on the edge of determining if this whole thing was no better than a farce, or merely the proof he desired to turn his skills against Vega. But now, goosebumps jumped up his arms, the hair that clung to his nape stood on end, and through he wished to speak, he was unable to.

Zhang Liu expected the first part of Sethrol's retort. He did not expect the second. He thought he was seeing things, and his throat trembled from the intensity that emanated from his old master like waves. "Master, is - is this man worth your true mettle?"

His words expressed doubt, yet for the first time in years, the Source-Melting Hand showed excitement over Sethrol's skills.

[yinsukin]

Roman

The territory of Bahadur Klearjaac, the most economically prosperous parts of the districts.  Rather than parks, there are lavish training facilities sponsored by Klearjaac.  The land of each facility is about the size of a park, with the normally concrete and grassy ground replaced with a mat so durable it can stand in a brutal clash with fighters of fantastic levels of strength.  There are punching bags, throwing dolls and shelves lined with all sorts of cheap weapons.  People often come to these places to train and occasionally settle duels. 

Roman stood in the center of this training ground, staring at a punching bag.  It was still pretty jarring, coming here right after fucking the king.  Oh wait, I had sex with the king....  Roman grinned from ear to ear as he recalled the experience.  Not only that, but he could feel himself stiffening.  Covering his pants, the embarrassment shrunk the thing back down.

"More training huh?  I guess this is what I wanted to do, get stronger."

[Panda]

Nanako

If Nanako had thought that question would give Vega even a moment's pause, she would have been quickly proven wrong. The nonchalant way he answered her, as if the mercy he'd shown back then was nothing but a simple whim and as if she had no reason to be upset over the man she was helping to bury, stunned the squirrel girl instead.

It only lasted for a moment, however, Nanako quickly snapping out of it and her tail starting to move for Vega, when Sethrol pre-empted her. The squirrel girl stopped short, looked at Vega, then Sethrol, then back at Vega with a frown and a disbelieving look, before finally shaking her head, turning on her heel, and walking away.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Sethrol the not calm

And just like that, Sethrol's arua flared up.  The ground beneath him shattered.  With every step he took, the ground shook.  The grass beneath each step evaporated into nothingness, replaced by a spider web like crack in the ground.  To say Sethrol was glaring at Vega did not do the expression proper justice.  The old man weilded two supernovas in his eye sockets and all of their explosive power was laser focused on Vega.  A hand rested on his shoulder, but it carried an unparalleled gentleness.  As his fingers wrapped around Vega's rear deltoid, Sethrol smiled.

"I don't know what you two discussed, but Jonathan was mistaken.  It is not up to me to decide who does or does not learn chi.  Power is something offered by the hand of fate to all who are swallowed by its ever reaching grip.  I will not turn away someone who wants help, but neither will I be responsible for what you do with it.  If you want to learn, all you need to do is come to my dojo during learning hours and seek training."

Sethrol' shadow was cast on the man and those eyes so passionate seemed to flare up even more with raw passionate rage.  "Thats what I would have said if you came to me even a week ago.  However, beyond simply hating you, it would be abhorrent of me to accept you into my dojo over the body of my student.  If you really want me to accept you as my student, you must overcome me in a duel."

Sethrol's aura raged like a wildfire and for the first time in years, he smiled with a sadistic grin.  "I wonder if Jonathan will enjoy his funeral present from the heavens, you kissing the feet of his corpse."

Vega

I see.

His beautiful icy eyes focused at the burning torrent of power that dared touch him. And yet, despite the freezing spite that practically tore out of his irises, his smile was as pleasant to look at as ever. No, it was because he was so resolved in this feeling that he could be this beautiful. It was simply inevitable. Vega would never stand such an ugly man.

"How cruel, there's no way he's headed for the hell I've plunged into."

But his words couldn't be any less warm. And he...

Yawned.

"Oh, sorry." He covered his mouth, genuinely apologizing as if something like this was more pressing than the life he took. "I can assure you, another bloody battle would be exhilarating, but I've had too many fights lately. Even if I did get patched up, I'm just not in it today I'm afraid. A day or two, it's all I need really. Otherwise, it's not really a duel is it?"

He cocked his head, staring right into the burning hellfire that was Sehtrol's rage. No, it was clear to everyone else that Vega's was just a different kind of inferno. One that consumed and froze to one's very core.

[yinsukin]

Sethrol the Passionate

Sethrol's smile faded but he laughed.  "Fight you?  I'm not sure if I could beat someone so young.  Old men such as myself shouldn't pick fights with young men such as yourself unless I am willing to hear my old bones scream."

The aura around Sethrol's body continued to flare, the size not faltering at all.  The piercing eyes of the old man searched what he thought was the other man's soul through his eyes.  There was indeed a sort of passionate something there.

"This is a duel, one far harder than any simple fight between men.  This will be the battle between master and student.  You wanted to learn right?  How would you like your first lesson?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"Hoh please, enough pretenses. The only reason you'd make such a distinction is that you're a people that can't function without violence. It's all it is in the end, make no mistake." He put his hands behind his back relaxedly, as full of openings as it gets. But as Sethrol's smile faded, his only grew.

"But I guess that makes me right, we're not so different you and I. If only you weren't so ugly, we could be the best of friends."

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

The destroyer of martial artists bent with a hand on his stomach. The pressure that his master exuded seemed momentarily forgotten as he bellowed in laughter, booming as he straightened before his torso bent in the opposite direction.

"I suppose," he said, sneering. "That if you weren't so obsessed with your pretty face, you wouldn't forget so easily you're the same kind of person, down to the excuses. Clown. You wouldn't be worth my Source- Melting Hand even if you had Chi."

Zhang ran a hand through his head, wiping a line of sweat from above his eyes and slicking back black bangs.

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

"When your as old as I, lines such as that echo like the nagging of a mother," he said before glancing at his student.  "You asked before if he was worth all of this Zhang.  No, he isn't.  Even so, I find myself taken by my own selfishness."

But that still didn't explain why he was offering to teach him.

"You know, the lesson is genuine.  This isn't a slugfest.  I am challenging you to learn.  If you can't learn my lesson, you lose.  If you can learn my lesson, you win.  Its that simple."