They Say Dragons Never Truly Die(Kenichi/Vanyel)

( https://youtu.be/d-C_BtFdT7Q )

For a few moments, the lights would dim and the arena would be seized by a deafening silence. The announcer would clear his throat as he was overtly familiar with how the rising dragon desired to introduce himself. There was no simplicity. There was no ordinary. The mundane did not please him. There was only the brilliant display, the divine flash of showmanship! To entertain and leave an impression on all of those who decided to honor his tournament with his presence. Kenichi rose from his chair as he stepped forward.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... gracing us with his presence... The one! The only! Rising Dragon! Kenichi Murata!!!"

At the apex of that moment as the announcer screamed to the top of his lungs, a brilliant flash of fireworks would fire across the sky as the light returned. Within the middle of the sky, Kenichi was soaring through the air, showcasing acrobatic movements as he soared towards the center of the arena, landing onto his two feet, grinning from ear to ear as his powerful gaze found itself wholly focused on Vanyel. He rose a fist to the air before he stepped towards Vanyel. He wore an expression of admiration and pride that Vanyel had made it this far and if the talent he had displayed thus far was the metric to go by, their battle was sure to be one for the record books. A true crowd pleaser.

"And so, here we are, Vanyel. Face to face. Do you think you have what it takes to best me?" Kenichi would grin, far from shy and hardly lacking in anything as it pertained to the realm of confidence. He aimed for Vanyel to give it his all and he would respond in kind.

Vanyel tensed up as the lights dimmed, not entirely sure of what to expect. He already knew that Kenichi had no problems showing off and fully embracing the role as master of ceremonies, hell, the entire tournament was one big showcase of that. As the announcer recited his title, a flash of fireworks shot across the sky as the lights returned, with Kenichi soaring through the air.

Vanyel found himself chuckling softly as he watched the man perform several acrobatics before finally landing in the center of the arena, not too far away from Vanyel's position. As Kenichi made his way toward him, Vanyel's stance slid down ever so slightly, looking more aggressive, despite making himself look smaller than him. With a small smile, Vanyel responded with a simple challenge for the Rising Dragon.

"Bring it on."

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A78tHiGu21U ]


"Ha, and here I was hoping I'd be able to let you make the first move. Let's go, then! Show me the extent of your abilities, Vanyel!"

Kenichi would immediately shift into a dragon stance as he kicked off with his leading right leg, soaring towards him with fierce momentum carrying his body. The previous fighters from the rounds that preceded this were single-minded and only adhered to one discipline.

Kenichi, however, was a warrior who committed to studying multiple forms of combat, elevating his martial prowess to a transcendent degree. Therefore, he would not be single-minded with Vanyel. For those who had reached this round, they were more than aware of the challenge that Kenichi posed as a fighter. He would pull no punches, and offer no mercy, bringing the entirety of his strength to bear. After all, this was a battle between men.

The first strike was a right elbow launched towards his sternum, though that attack would only be used as a feint as he shifted his left hand forward to execute a powerful palm thrust towards his shoulder. If Vanyel evaded the strike or found himself pushed back, Kenichi would not relent.

"ORA! ORA! ORA!"

The right elbow was a strike commonly attributed to Bājíquán, yet it could easily be mistaken for Muay Thai, considering the opponent he faced earlier. The palm thrust was a staple of Chinese martial arts and typically found a lot of its usage in Bagua. Without pausing, Kenichi would maintain his assault, pursuing Vanyel to execute a double roundhouse kick - Taekwondo. Each strike was executed with the intention of overwhelming him, testing his reflexes and reaction time.

He recalled a time when he had been judged for allowing his passion to overtake him but this was a fight between men! He knew no other way but to be passionate. A true dragon would only prove his worth among the skies by facing another. Would Vanyel meet him at the heavens or fall haplessly to the earth?

Despite the unassuming stance that Vanyel took, he still kept a foot pressed firmly into the ground, shifting his stance ever so slightly. While he wasn't as proficient in the Northern Style as much as the opposing Southern Dragon Style, Vanyel's stance and footwork allowed him to stay rooted and hold his ground. Kenichi lunged forward, before lashing out with an elbow strike. Thankfully, his left hand was lifted up far enough for him to grab his elbow just before the strike connected. But, immediately after, Kenichi followed up with a palm strike.

Did this guy seriously just verbally say "ora, ora, ora"? While he didn't laugh, Vanyel found himself grinning at the man's sheer dedication to making a show out of the competition. He was acting like Donnie Yen, and, frankly, Vanyel was perfectly okay with that. Hell, a piece of him enjoyed and loved the fun spin he was putting on a fight, even if he wasn't being entirely serious. He was the final challenge, yet he still wanted to make this fight one for the ages, a spectacle for all to see as the two dragons roared and raged in the martial peak.

With his left hand occupied in holding his elbow in place, Vanyel attempted to twist out of the way, tanking the harsh strike and allowing him to use the movement and utilize the momentum as he released Kenichi's elbow, seeing the man move in for a kick. Continuing the natural opposition of Kenichi's style, Vanyel held his ground, quickly moving his arms to a defensive position to block the first attack. But, as soon as the first kick connected, the man immediately switched his footing.

As he saw Kenichi's body start to move up for the second kick, Vanyel went for a sweep to try and use the instability and lack of proper footing with the second kick to knock Kenichi off-balance. Regardless of whether or not he would be able to do that in time, Vanyel kept moving, using the momentum from his sweeping leg to spin around, neatly avoiding the attack and kicking out at Kenichi's chest.

With Vanyel now switching onto the offensive, he returned Kenichi's assault in kind, immediately rushing forward and lunging at Kenichi, whether he was on the ground or managed to get up, with a palm strike aimed at his chest before launching into a flurry and punches and kicks, all the while staying light-footed, shifting his footwork to keep moving and be ready to evade and block.

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulDYyMb8eP0 ]

Amazing! Kenichi could hardly contain his excitement as his impassioned gaze observed Vanyel. This man could take a strike and maintain his position without staggering. His first sequence of attacks were not entirely successful yet that mattered little. Kenichi welcomed the challenge, ever eager to bring his the entire extent of his martial prowess to bear, a graceful display of skill to be remembered for the ages!

Vanyel aimed to turn his double round-house against him, to strike at the moment of imbalance after surrendering all of his movement to the execution of two kicks but the rising dragon was a stubborn beast and for every counter, there must be another.

Kenichi hopped off of the ground with his leg, and quickly pulled his fist away from Vanyel's hand as his center of gravity was shifted backward to avoid the following kick and palm strike, yet the Dragon of Kyushu maintained his assault, rushing towards Kenichi, executing a flurry of punches and kicks.

Grinning from ear to ear, Kenichi would use his arms and legs and redirect each attack merely by swinging his arms and legs in swift formations so that each punch and kick was diverted off it's natural course. In the moment he gleamed to be an opportune time to counter, Kenichi would perform a crouching turn-step with his right leg during his flurry of strikes, taking the brunt of those fists at he charged forward, performing a powerful shoulder strike aimed at Vanyel's chest.

Though that was hardly the end of the dragon's assault, for if Vanyel managed to evade and avoid the first technique - Tetsuzanko - Kenichi would quickly shift his body forward, rolling towards him at immense speed. There was no guess as to what he would do, yet he was quickly gaining momentum as a result of dropping forward to assume the rolling motion.

When the moment was near, Kenichi would instantaneously push off of the ground with his hands, sending his body flying through the air. Launching high into the air, he would execute a powerful upward kick, his momentum equal to that of a bolt of lightning springing from the ground, taking full advantage of the momentum gained from rolling forward.

Of course, if avoided, that would hardly be the end of his assault as he would continue to pursue Vanyel, forcing him on the defensive by executing a multiple series high and low-arching kicks, each aimed at whatever point of his body they would catch.

"Truly remarkable! Dragon Style, I presume? Tai Chi as well... I'm getting excited! Come on! Keep it up!"

Vanyel felt a tinge of regret plague his heart as Kenichi countered his attacks. Why was he surprised at his skill in martial arts -- or, at the very least, his knowledge of them? As Kenichi turned, taking the brunt of his attacks and then surged forward, Vanyel quickly switched up his footwork, bracing himself and moving his hands to allow him to take the impact. As Kenichi slammed into him, Vanyel's footwork faltered slightly, his feet sliding back as he slid to the side, pushing him to the side using Kenichi's own weight and momentum.

But, he could tell that Kenichi wasn't done. Now that he had gotten his opening, he knew that the man was going to exploit it for all the pressure and small damage that it was worth. Vanyel took a large step back as he rolled forward and moved into a a high kick. But, before he could punish the opening, the other man adjusted himself and landed quickly, resuming his rush of attacks.

But, what was arguably the most frustrating part of the exchange was that he kept talking. They were in the middle of a fight, and he still was insisting on providing comments. But, it did provide him with something -- that he suspicion was right, and he was aware of Dragon Style and knew how to counter it.

Readjusting to put himself back on the defense again, Vanyel found himself lifting his legs to counter the low kicks, and using Taijiquan movements to divert the momentum of his high kicks. He had to find an opening, because staying on the defense forever would just run him dry in due time. So, noticing the pattern of his highs and lows, Vanyel diverted the momentum of one of the highs, before suddenly lashing out with a powerful kick to Kenichi's midsection, lashing out like a dragon's tail.

Whether it was blocked or avoided, Vanyel switched his stance back to his own martial art. He wasted no time in putting on his own string of pressure. Each high and low hit would have a dance-like flow to them, all while retaining the overpowering offense that it was designed for. Again and again, he would switch between high strikes, low kicks, and even mixing in "middle strikes," releasing quick, yet powerful strikes to Kenichi's midsection with little mercy.

If Kenichi knew about Dragon Style, then Vanyel would lash out with a style that Kenichi had never seen before.

Joy. The Relentless dragon had felt nothing but unrivaled joy as the two clashed, punch for punch, kick for kick. The Dragon of Kyushu proved himself a worthy opponent, one that exceeded his expectations to an overwhelming degree. Far beyond his initial expectation, Vanyel was matching him blow for blow! And so, the two dragons danced amid the heavens, bringing their mightiest techniques to bear. It was a flawless display of martial prowess - worth its weight in gold. A true embodiment of martial artistry. There was no boon of energy to amplify their techniques, no battlefield equipment to grant them a significant advantage over the other. It was a collision of fists; a truly remarkable battle between two men, exerting and applying their will and desire onto each strike.

As if growing tired of being on the receiving end of Kenichi's assault, Vanyel would quickly divert the momentum of one of Kenichi's high kicks before sweeping in with a powerful kick towards his midsection. The energetic martial artist quickly crossed his arms, aiming to utilize them as a shield against his attacks; This act of shifting into defense would rob him of his offensive momentum, forcing him into the position of a defender. Vanyel was the aggressor now.

High and low hits now appeared to have a dance-like flow to them, with each strike retaining a fierce strength that caused him to stumble back ever so slightly, as Kenichi brought forth his best effort to maintain his footing on the ground while simultaneously aiming to deflect or divert Vanyel's graceful strikes to the best of his ability. His midsection took a direct hit every now and then but his physical constitution allowed him to remain upright even amidst the overwhelming assault.

This was no longer dragon style but something else entirely. Perhaps a martial art of his own making? Kenichi could not help but chuckle even as he took a few of the man's blows to his midsection. Flipping backward to gain some distance from his relentless assault of high and low attacks, Kenichi would land a few meters away, landing onto his feet as he clapped his hands in genuine applause . To Vanyel, it may have seemed as though he was mocking him, especially since they were in the heat of battle, but to Kenichi, he would not be a warrior worth his weight in gold if he couldn't offer his praise and sate his curiosity - even in a moment like this.

"Superb... I've never seen this before. Does it have a name?"

Despite the growing irritation due to much of Vanyel's aggression being met with diversion and deflection, Vanyel had to admit, he was a bit impressed. It wasn't every day you found someone who was a skilled martial artist and was also a tremendously effective showman. Kenichi flipped backward, giving some space and breathing room between the two fighters, and Vanyel took a few steps forward to give chase and keep him from returning the offensive.

But, as Kenichi spoke, Vanyel stopped. He kept his stance up, but he narrowed his eyes at the question the Rising Dragon posed. In the middle of a fight, he wanted to know about the style that was being used against him. Well, at the very least, he wanted to know the name. Surely, there wasn't much harm in that? So, glancing at the arena floor for a moment, he looked back at Kenichi, taking a few steps closer before he responded.

"Dragon Dance. An alternate name for it is, well, Dragon Style. My own creation."

Without skipping a beat, Vanyel started moving forward again, returning to the stance and movements of his own style. He continuously mixed up the highs and lows, trying to make his attacks unpredictable while retaining the strength and speed, intending to continue to overwhelm Kenichi and keep him on the defense.

Yet, he knew that he couldn't keep it up forever. He could feel his arms and legs starting to grow sore, and even though he was disguising it well enough, his breathing was getting heavy, and the rhythm was growing more and more off. Either he would need to figure out a way to finish it now, or stall the fight to make it a draw. Even if he ended up losing, he wasn't going down without a fight.

From every corner of the arena, a tumult of booming applause echoed throughout the entire stadium. An audience filled to the brim with excitement, each member of the crowd cheered for the participant they desired to win, to wrest victory from the hands of the other. There were some who longed for an upset, to experience the joy of witnessing an unfamiliar face defy the odds - in their eyes, Vanyel deserved to be the champion. There were others who longed for a repeat, for nothing to change, as they admired their own champion - in their eyes, Kenichi would emerge victorious. None of them could affect the result in the arena but that fact made it all the more exciting to see who would seize the moment and pull through over the other. Those who could affect the supernatural were brilliant in their own right--- but to see two men using their own bodies to the utmost extent, executing techniques and disciplines lost to the annals of time, this was a grand spectacle that would remain with the entire crowd for years to come.

This is what I live for.

Kenichi grinned from ear to ear as Vanyel went on the offensive once more, resuming their battle as he employed a pattern of high and low strikes, moving with poise and grace as he attacked. His arms would rise up to match the pattern of following his movements with his eyes and using his body to deflect and evade any attack that might turn the tide of battle in Vanyel's favor. Of course, his intent was far from remaining on the defensive.

Truth be told, he had already suffered his fair share of blows against his body moments ago. Far from exhausted, Kenichi nevertheless remained abundantly aware of the condition of his physical constitution. His will was limitless but his body, standing proudly at the precipice of physical condition, was not so inexhaustible. Exhilarating though it was, a fast-paced battle of this nature where constant movement was essential, exhaustion was always a looming threat for any fighter who didn't inherently possess regenerative agents to maintain them from falling apart at the seams.

Therefore, Kenichi knew what his objective moving forward. Give it his all. Test his limit. Offer every ounce of energy that remained...to this battle. They were moving to the final act, after all. Even if his performance sent him falling haplessly in a blaze of glory, it was a worthy price to pay for the joy he felt in their bout. Repeating the same action as before, utilizing the dexterity of his body, Kenichi shifted to the side as he shuffled his feet several meters backward. Drawing his fists to the left and right side of his frame, as if they were arrows ready to be launched from a bow, Kenichi would exhale deeply as he rushed towards him at an exceeding rate of speed. Gathering momentum in this all-out charge, his intent became abundantly clear.

For what he aimed to execute was no style but a signature technique. The Celestial Dragon Striking at the Apex. Execution-wise, he had typically regarded it as a simple technique with a simple concept. To strike at the center of something and shift the force impact into a single point - be it through an object or the opponent's body. A fulcrum-based transference technique using energy transmission, celestial dragon allowed the fierce martial artist to collect velocity from rotational acceleration, accumulating atmospheric force within the shape of the celestial dragon, Shenlong; the atmospheric force is then directed into a straight line - by executing a punch or palm thrust through the air - where it is then hurdled towards the enemy at resounding speed.

There was a twofold purpose in why he chose to employ it here. From the outset of their match, Kenichi employed everything but the true nature of his martial prowess, held back from executing techniques that danced into the supernatural but remained well within the realm of something that could be executed without going against established rules. His body was the catalyst, his arms the point of execution.

Stopping before he reached him entirely, both of his fists would barrel forward, releasing the atmospheric waves of force built up from his charge. They were launched in slightly alternating directions, one aimed at his head as a feint with no intention of landing a hit, the other aimed towards his midsection, aiming to blow him out of the arena or land a staggering blow that would turn the tide of battle in his favor. The strain of using the technique with both of his arms could be felt internally as he listened to the "snap" of one of his wrists but he paid no heed towards it. If his arms were no longer usable, he would use his legs.

To be in such a situation where people cheered for him, as well as cheered for his opposition was certainly strange and new. To some degree, he didn't understand why he was enjoying it so much. He wasn't competing for them, or for any good reason. The entire reason why he was hear was to break the mold, to do something different, to test his own mettle and see how good he was, and to get the rust off. But, there was also part of him that wanted nothing more than to win.

That was what made him continue his offensive. As Kenichi began to move backward, Vanyel pushed forward to close the distance and keep him from getting any breathing room in. But, as his opponent drew his arms to his sides and suddenly charged forward, Vanyel hunched just the slightest bit lower as he continued moving forward. Trying to err on the side of caution, he went to try and aim for a strike to Kenichi's own midsection, only to suddenly feel a wave of pressure hit him like a brick.

Knocked backward and send tumbling a bit, Vanyel tried to use his arm and grip onto the area tiling, forcing his fingers into the ground to stop himself. Tiles cracked, split, and flew to the sides from the arena as Vanyel desperately tried to keep himself from falling out of the arena. Coming to a stop right as his legs were about to slide from the edge, Vanyel pulled himself to his feet, holding an arm out of instinct. The muscles in his arms were screaming in pain, but he noticed something.

He heard something, faintly. Something snapped. But, he knew his arms weren't broken or damaged intensively, otherwise he probably wouldn't have been able to hold onto the arena. Whatever that technique that Kenichi used, it had a lot of strain. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling shakily, Vanyel got moving again quickly, trying to close the distance between them as soon as possible. Should Kenichi have come within striking distance, Vanyel would quickly strike low with a sweep with the intent of tripping him.

Regardless of whether or not it was successful, he moved in to strike once at his back and knock him down. Should he be successful, Vanyel would try and get on top of him, readying his fist to attack again. But, instead of strike, he spoke -- his voice shaky and out of breath from the running and strain that his body had been put under from not just this fight, but the ones before it.

"Let's call it a draw. We're both hittin' our limits, I don't wanna win because you're breakin' your body, and I don't think either of us wanna try and walk outta here with a lot of broken bones."