Post by Fudotatakai on Mar 25, 2013 16:38:11 GMT -5
"N-No, please! Stay back! No more!" a voice was heard by all who watched in fear. The strong, courageous hero of the mountains was now on his back, beaten and bruised while begging for mercy as the large figure of Fudotatakai approached him. "I-I'm sorry, I'll fight you some other time!" he reasoned, having already refused to do battle with Fudo once. Of course, that was the one thing that pissed him off the most. When a so-called 'fighter' turns his back and refuses to test his skills, he must be forced to fight, and that's just what Fudo did. After delivering several powerful blows to his opponent, Fudotatakai could only grin while standing over his prey. "You are weak." the tall man growled with a laugh, sending one last powerful blow to the hero's stomach in order to knock him out. With that, the fight was over. Fudo turned and went on his way, the small crowd of spectators gasping in disbelief. This monster of a man had just barged into their small trading town and utterly defeated the local martial artist, who had been referred to as a man of justice.
This was Fudo's fourth win that week, and he felt good about it. Ever since his victory over the martial artist in the village a few days ago, he began feeling like a new man. He had even began building a bit of a reputation for himself. 'The Demon of Battle', 'The Hellish Challenger' and a few other titles lingered within various settlements in the area. People feared and respected the man, giving him whatever he wanted in fear of being pulverized by his fist. Still, even with all the victories he had earned, he had yet to partake in a fight that was truly a challenge for him. He wanted not only to take down his opponent, but also to experience some good old fashioned adrenaline as well. He wanted the rush of a close match, the soreness of an intense effort. For that reason, he had been meditating on mountaintops in order to train his sense of energy detection. He wanted to reach out with his ability to feel the power of others and find someone who was just as strong as he was. Luckily, that day finally came, the day he happened upon an energy that was in fact superior to his own. If what he was feeling was right, he was in for a tough match, which is just what he wanted. With that, the man leaped off of the tall mountain as usual, crashing through trees and stones as he hit the ground, running off towards his next match.
The journey lasted a whole day, but Fudotatakai finally made it to his destination. It was nothing more than a simple shrine located in a deep valley. If Fudo had any sort of eye for beauty, he would likely appreciate the quaintness of the building. He wasn't there to admire the architecture, however. He was there to fight. He stepped through the archway of the shrine with narrowed eyes. His next opponent was here, in this building. From close up, the energy felt even greater, enough to make Fudo legitimately fear the outcome of the match... Of course, that only added to his excitement. "May I help you, sir?" a small voice was heard. The voice belonged to an old man, who was wearing rather expensive-looking robes. There was no doubt that the powerful source of energy was this man. "Or do you simply wish to fight me?" he followed up with a calm expression. Fudo only grinned, tightening his fists so that his knuckles cracked audibly. "My reputation precedes me, it seems." the challenger said, tilting his neck to stretch and crack it as well. "I'm seeking a good fight. Will you turn your back like the others?" he asked, honestly not caring if the old man turned to walk away. After all, with his higher power level, the man would likely retaliate and fight back no matter what. "I will not turn my back, but I wish only to speak first. If that doesn't suffice, we'll fight afterward. Is that alright?" he asked, causing Fudo to frown. The demonic man didn't like the idea of simple talking... But he was promised a fight soon after, so it was worth it. "Fine, we'll talk." he said, relaxing his muscles and breathing deeply in order to calm down. "Good, glad to see that you're capable of a civilized discussion." the old man said as he walked back into the other room of the temple, gesturing for Fudo to follow.
"My name is Matsuhiro Chozu. Might I ask for yours?" the old monk asked as he sat in front of a simmering tea kettle, lifting the container up to pour to cups of hot tea. "... Fudotatakai. the large man responded after a moment's hesitation. "Ah, so you do have a name. I figured I would ask, as 'Demon of Battle' doesn't seem like a pleasant name." Chozu responded, politely pushing one of the tea cups towards Fudo, indicating where to sit with his hand. Fudotatakai sat down with his legs crossed, picking up the tea with one of large hands and downing the drink in a second despite its boiling heat. "... So, why is it that you fight, Fudotatakai? All you do is cause pain, but for what purpose?" the old man asked, pouring another cupful of tea for his guest. Fudo drank down his second serving and growled to himself. "... My purpose? My purpose is to fight. Nothing more." he replied, his cold eyes piercing Chozu's. The monk nodded slowly. "I see. Was that purpose of your own design, or was it forced upon you?" he asked. It was quite a probing question, one that Fudo didn't quite like. "That is none of your concern." he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. It really wasn't his choice that he received such power and lost control of it, but now fighting was all he knew how to do. "Very well then. Will you at least tell me if you know the source of your power?" the monk then asked suspiciously, seeming curious to know either how Fudo was strong, or if the man himself even knew where his energy came from. Fudotatakai looked down, considering ignoring the question again, but deciding to answer. "I don't know." he said calmly, briefly recalling the moment he felt that power first course through his body when he was knocked to the ground by those thugs.
After hearing that answer, Chozu nodded. "I think I do." he said, earning a confused expression from Fudo. The old priest went on with an explanation. "As a monk, I am skilled in reading ones emotions, their mindsets... Their spirits." he said, sipping on his tea before going on. "And I sense that your spirit is not alone." he said, a somewhat grievous undertone to his voice. Fudo didn't know what to think, and he didn't quite understand what the old man meant by that. "What are you talking about?" he asked with a look that seemed to demand answers. Chozu took a breath and soon replied. "I can sense within you a great rage that is not of this realm. An unnatural power that doesn't belong. I believe it may have driven you to the life you now live." he said, making Fudotatakai look down in confusion. "There's something... Inside me?" he asked, feeling quite angry, but not at Chozu. He was angry at whatever was inside him, the being that manifested itself as the power he now wields. "Yes." the monk said with a frown. "An evil spirit that, for some reason, wishes to dwell within you. I know not what it truly desires, but you are now its vessel. Its purpose lives on in you." he explained. Fudo suddenly looked up with a scowl. "I don't believe you! My purpose is my own, mine. This is my power now, I don't care who gave it to me." he growled, seeming somewhat offended at the monk's words. Chozu only glared back. "Well you ought to. This thing inside you is causing you to hurt innocent people. You are scaring the villagers of these places you visit, and your reputation isn't a good one. Is that what you want?" he asked with a fierce stare. Fudo grit his teeth and responded. "Rgghh, I want to fight! That's all that matters now!" he shouted, seeming quite confident that it was the only thing he could do any more.
With that, Fudotatakai rose to his feet and kicked the tea kettle off of its stand, spilling the drink all across the floor. Despite the loud noise and frightening display, Chozu remained perfectly still, staring up at his angered visitor. "You're making a grave mistake by becoming upset." the old man said, slowly rising to his feet. Fudo only growled. "Grrghhh... Stop pissing me off!!" he yelled, throwing a wild punch at the man, who was now considered a foe to him. Chozu skillfully ducked under the swing, delivering a swift strike of his own to Fudo's unguarded stomach. It knocked the wind out of the Demon of Battle, a smile creeping onto his face at the pain. "Ngh, yes... Fight me!!" he demanded, prompting Chozu to strike once more, hitting Fudo with a double palm attack, sending him flying through a wall and out into the field. Now that hurt good. Fudo quickly got up and entered a proper fighting stance, finally getting serious. He met Chozu's charge with a block, beginning to trade blows with his opponent. The two punched, blocked, sidestepped and kicked over and over. It was almost like a form of dance... Though Fudo was receiving considerably more damage. Every missed punch was repaid with a strike to the upper arm or rib cage, slowly wearing him down. Fudo decided to brace himself for a few hits in order to wind back a powerful punch, and just before he threw it, he let loose a quick jab in order to throw off his foe's defenses. With Chozu wide open, Fudotatakai launched his haymaker, his fist crashing into Chozu's chest. The monk was thrown down a slope and into a tree where he struggled to get back up. Due to Fudo's tough exterior, he was able to take the damage up until now. "Yes, that's it! Fight me more!" he called out to Chozu.
The old monk stood still for a moment, glaring up at the enemy. "Fighting without reason is meaningless. If I can't reason with you, I'll just kill you." he said, dropping his stance and bringing his fist to his sides. Suddenly, a deep energy swelled up within him, exploding outward in a bright aura of blue and green. Fudo's eyebrows furrowed at the sight, not knowing what kind of skill this was. Whatever the monk did, it increased his power by at least three times. "I see now... That I can't defeat you." he said reluctantly. He wasn't a very prideful man, and knew it was proper to give his opponent the honor of victory. "I hope to fight you again some-" he started before being interrupted by a sudden blast of energy that Chozu fired. Fudo was hardly able to dodge it, watching as the orb destroyed a nearby tree. His respectful manner of speech was lost as he glared down at the monk. Chozu rose into the air with a deep breath, hovering slowly over to Fudo. "No, Fudotatakai. I will end you now and bring peace to this land." he proclaimed. Fudo's expression shifted to one of panic and rage. He couldn't speak, however, before suddenly receiving a merciless kick to the side of the head, followed by a series of rapid punches to every part of his midsection. This pain wasn't good. It was a horrible, aching pain that threatened to kill Fudo.
Finally, the fight was about over. Fudotatakai was lying motionless on the groun, staring up with only one eye open at Chozu, who was aiming a bluish orb of energy at the downed challenger. "Die, demon." he commanded. Then, as the ball of energy was fired, time seemed to stop for Fudo. For the first time in a long time, he felt absolute horror. He was going to die.
Fudotatakai was going to die...
... Death...
A powerful wave of energy suddenly exploded from Fudo's body, deflecting the energy shot from Chozu's palm. The monk backed away in fear, not knowing what happened, only sensing an incredible energy. When the smoke cleared, Fudotatakai stood up, his appearance changed and his energy levels increased dramatically. His body was covered with strange markings and his hair was colored white, standing upward on his head. His pupils had vanished, and his size had even grown slightly. "... YOU DIE!!" he suddenly screamed, dashing forward at an extreme speed and unleashing a storm of punches, each one hitting its mark and causing Chozu's heightened power to diminish. Fudo was in a rampage, and even when Chozu fell to the ground, the punches didn't stop. Again and again, he drove his fists into the man, each attack full of rage and malice. Finally, Chozu was dead. Fudo didn't like killing his opponents... But that monk really pissed him off. He rose to his feet and panted, reverting to his normal form and turning away from the defeated foe. He walked away from the shrine with a merciless expression. "If I am a demon... Then so be it." he grunted to himself as he exited the valley, off to find his next challenge.
(( Zeni, please. ))
This was Fudo's fourth win that week, and he felt good about it. Ever since his victory over the martial artist in the village a few days ago, he began feeling like a new man. He had even began building a bit of a reputation for himself. 'The Demon of Battle', 'The Hellish Challenger' and a few other titles lingered within various settlements in the area. People feared and respected the man, giving him whatever he wanted in fear of being pulverized by his fist. Still, even with all the victories he had earned, he had yet to partake in a fight that was truly a challenge for him. He wanted not only to take down his opponent, but also to experience some good old fashioned adrenaline as well. He wanted the rush of a close match, the soreness of an intense effort. For that reason, he had been meditating on mountaintops in order to train his sense of energy detection. He wanted to reach out with his ability to feel the power of others and find someone who was just as strong as he was. Luckily, that day finally came, the day he happened upon an energy that was in fact superior to his own. If what he was feeling was right, he was in for a tough match, which is just what he wanted. With that, the man leaped off of the tall mountain as usual, crashing through trees and stones as he hit the ground, running off towards his next match.
The journey lasted a whole day, but Fudotatakai finally made it to his destination. It was nothing more than a simple shrine located in a deep valley. If Fudo had any sort of eye for beauty, he would likely appreciate the quaintness of the building. He wasn't there to admire the architecture, however. He was there to fight. He stepped through the archway of the shrine with narrowed eyes. His next opponent was here, in this building. From close up, the energy felt even greater, enough to make Fudo legitimately fear the outcome of the match... Of course, that only added to his excitement. "May I help you, sir?" a small voice was heard. The voice belonged to an old man, who was wearing rather expensive-looking robes. There was no doubt that the powerful source of energy was this man. "Or do you simply wish to fight me?" he followed up with a calm expression. Fudo only grinned, tightening his fists so that his knuckles cracked audibly. "My reputation precedes me, it seems." the challenger said, tilting his neck to stretch and crack it as well. "I'm seeking a good fight. Will you turn your back like the others?" he asked, honestly not caring if the old man turned to walk away. After all, with his higher power level, the man would likely retaliate and fight back no matter what. "I will not turn my back, but I wish only to speak first. If that doesn't suffice, we'll fight afterward. Is that alright?" he asked, causing Fudo to frown. The demonic man didn't like the idea of simple talking... But he was promised a fight soon after, so it was worth it. "Fine, we'll talk." he said, relaxing his muscles and breathing deeply in order to calm down. "Good, glad to see that you're capable of a civilized discussion." the old man said as he walked back into the other room of the temple, gesturing for Fudo to follow.
"My name is Matsuhiro Chozu. Might I ask for yours?" the old monk asked as he sat in front of a simmering tea kettle, lifting the container up to pour to cups of hot tea. "... Fudotatakai. the large man responded after a moment's hesitation. "Ah, so you do have a name. I figured I would ask, as 'Demon of Battle' doesn't seem like a pleasant name." Chozu responded, politely pushing one of the tea cups towards Fudo, indicating where to sit with his hand. Fudotatakai sat down with his legs crossed, picking up the tea with one of large hands and downing the drink in a second despite its boiling heat. "... So, why is it that you fight, Fudotatakai? All you do is cause pain, but for what purpose?" the old man asked, pouring another cupful of tea for his guest. Fudo drank down his second serving and growled to himself. "... My purpose? My purpose is to fight. Nothing more." he replied, his cold eyes piercing Chozu's. The monk nodded slowly. "I see. Was that purpose of your own design, or was it forced upon you?" he asked. It was quite a probing question, one that Fudo didn't quite like. "That is none of your concern." he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. It really wasn't his choice that he received such power and lost control of it, but now fighting was all he knew how to do. "Very well then. Will you at least tell me if you know the source of your power?" the monk then asked suspiciously, seeming curious to know either how Fudo was strong, or if the man himself even knew where his energy came from. Fudotatakai looked down, considering ignoring the question again, but deciding to answer. "I don't know." he said calmly, briefly recalling the moment he felt that power first course through his body when he was knocked to the ground by those thugs.
After hearing that answer, Chozu nodded. "I think I do." he said, earning a confused expression from Fudo. The old priest went on with an explanation. "As a monk, I am skilled in reading ones emotions, their mindsets... Their spirits." he said, sipping on his tea before going on. "And I sense that your spirit is not alone." he said, a somewhat grievous undertone to his voice. Fudo didn't know what to think, and he didn't quite understand what the old man meant by that. "What are you talking about?" he asked with a look that seemed to demand answers. Chozu took a breath and soon replied. "I can sense within you a great rage that is not of this realm. An unnatural power that doesn't belong. I believe it may have driven you to the life you now live." he said, making Fudotatakai look down in confusion. "There's something... Inside me?" he asked, feeling quite angry, but not at Chozu. He was angry at whatever was inside him, the being that manifested itself as the power he now wields. "Yes." the monk said with a frown. "An evil spirit that, for some reason, wishes to dwell within you. I know not what it truly desires, but you are now its vessel. Its purpose lives on in you." he explained. Fudo suddenly looked up with a scowl. "I don't believe you! My purpose is my own, mine. This is my power now, I don't care who gave it to me." he growled, seeming somewhat offended at the monk's words. Chozu only glared back. "Well you ought to. This thing inside you is causing you to hurt innocent people. You are scaring the villagers of these places you visit, and your reputation isn't a good one. Is that what you want?" he asked with a fierce stare. Fudo grit his teeth and responded. "Rgghh, I want to fight! That's all that matters now!" he shouted, seeming quite confident that it was the only thing he could do any more.
With that, Fudotatakai rose to his feet and kicked the tea kettle off of its stand, spilling the drink all across the floor. Despite the loud noise and frightening display, Chozu remained perfectly still, staring up at his angered visitor. "You're making a grave mistake by becoming upset." the old man said, slowly rising to his feet. Fudo only growled. "Grrghhh... Stop pissing me off!!" he yelled, throwing a wild punch at the man, who was now considered a foe to him. Chozu skillfully ducked under the swing, delivering a swift strike of his own to Fudo's unguarded stomach. It knocked the wind out of the Demon of Battle, a smile creeping onto his face at the pain. "Ngh, yes... Fight me!!" he demanded, prompting Chozu to strike once more, hitting Fudo with a double palm attack, sending him flying through a wall and out into the field. Now that hurt good. Fudo quickly got up and entered a proper fighting stance, finally getting serious. He met Chozu's charge with a block, beginning to trade blows with his opponent. The two punched, blocked, sidestepped and kicked over and over. It was almost like a form of dance... Though Fudo was receiving considerably more damage. Every missed punch was repaid with a strike to the upper arm or rib cage, slowly wearing him down. Fudo decided to brace himself for a few hits in order to wind back a powerful punch, and just before he threw it, he let loose a quick jab in order to throw off his foe's defenses. With Chozu wide open, Fudotatakai launched his haymaker, his fist crashing into Chozu's chest. The monk was thrown down a slope and into a tree where he struggled to get back up. Due to Fudo's tough exterior, he was able to take the damage up until now. "Yes, that's it! Fight me more!" he called out to Chozu.
The old monk stood still for a moment, glaring up at the enemy. "Fighting without reason is meaningless. If I can't reason with you, I'll just kill you." he said, dropping his stance and bringing his fist to his sides. Suddenly, a deep energy swelled up within him, exploding outward in a bright aura of blue and green. Fudo's eyebrows furrowed at the sight, not knowing what kind of skill this was. Whatever the monk did, it increased his power by at least three times. "I see now... That I can't defeat you." he said reluctantly. He wasn't a very prideful man, and knew it was proper to give his opponent the honor of victory. "I hope to fight you again some-" he started before being interrupted by a sudden blast of energy that Chozu fired. Fudo was hardly able to dodge it, watching as the orb destroyed a nearby tree. His respectful manner of speech was lost as he glared down at the monk. Chozu rose into the air with a deep breath, hovering slowly over to Fudo. "No, Fudotatakai. I will end you now and bring peace to this land." he proclaimed. Fudo's expression shifted to one of panic and rage. He couldn't speak, however, before suddenly receiving a merciless kick to the side of the head, followed by a series of rapid punches to every part of his midsection. This pain wasn't good. It was a horrible, aching pain that threatened to kill Fudo.
Finally, the fight was about over. Fudotatakai was lying motionless on the groun, staring up with only one eye open at Chozu, who was aiming a bluish orb of energy at the downed challenger. "Die, demon." he commanded. Then, as the ball of energy was fired, time seemed to stop for Fudo. For the first time in a long time, he felt absolute horror. He was going to die.
Fudotatakai was going to die...
... Death...
A powerful wave of energy suddenly exploded from Fudo's body, deflecting the energy shot from Chozu's palm. The monk backed away in fear, not knowing what happened, only sensing an incredible energy. When the smoke cleared, Fudotatakai stood up, his appearance changed and his energy levels increased dramatically. His body was covered with strange markings and his hair was colored white, standing upward on his head. His pupils had vanished, and his size had even grown slightly. "... YOU DIE!!" he suddenly screamed, dashing forward at an extreme speed and unleashing a storm of punches, each one hitting its mark and causing Chozu's heightened power to diminish. Fudo was in a rampage, and even when Chozu fell to the ground, the punches didn't stop. Again and again, he drove his fists into the man, each attack full of rage and malice. Finally, Chozu was dead. Fudo didn't like killing his opponents... But that monk really pissed him off. He rose to his feet and panted, reverting to his normal form and turning away from the defeated foe. He walked away from the shrine with a merciless expression. "If I am a demon... Then so be it." he grunted to himself as he exited the valley, off to find his next challenge.
(( Zeni, please. ))
Jorlaxl, master of crane.