Age of Strife Book 0: The Path of War

Chapter 15: Honor, Glory, or the Thrill of a Fight?

As Hiryu and Je-Yel leave the arena they are beckoned by organizers to be taken to the infirmary for tending of their wounds. As Hiryu and Je-Yel wait for their call, Je-Yel turns to Hiryu to say "You fought... adequately, all things considered against the swashbuckler." "Huh, I can the same for you given how you overpowered the clockwork aspirant." Hiryu responds as he wipes his blade down with oil. "I want to say... when we do eventually come to arms with each other... Good luck." Je-Yel says with reluctance. Hiryu understanding why he's saying this merely responds "You too." Eventually Hiryu was called and ushered into a room to be treated, he sees Kasumi dressed in a grey dress with gloves reaching beyond her elbows gathering medicines and bandages before turning around to say "Hello Hiryu, please take a seat and I'll take care of you." Hiryu obeying the order sits on a chair and undresses the top of his attire where his arms are exposed and is revealed to have cuts and bruises on them. Kasumi going to work begins to apply medicine and various minor treatments allow the wounds to rapidly heal, after applying the bandage Kasumi says "Now you'll need to rest here for a few moments while the bandaged medicine does it work." Turning her attention to her table now, Kasumi begins reorganizing various packaged aide and medicinal bottles. Hiryu feeling the cuts and bruises he sustained begin healing rapidly he turned his attention to Kasumi and says "So... You became a healer for the tournament?" "Humph I did, so I could keep an eye on this one foolhardy man. But so far he's been taken good care of himself so far." Kasumi responds light-heartedly. Letting out a light chuckle Hiryu stands up to face Kasumi who finished organizing her station and says "Well I hope he's doing well in these trying times, besides keeping eyes on friends do you have any plans after the tourney?" Kasumi turns to look at Hiryu with a mischievous expression on her face and says "Well, I do have somewhere to be with meeting and the like... but I suppose I could get the spark notes later. Why you got plans yourself?" "Well I thought of touring around the city after the tournament is done ya'know? See the sights, take in the vistas, get some food, maybe catch up with an old friend?" Hiryu says while playful standing confidently. Kasumi lets out a little giggle before wrapping her arms around Hiryu's neck and ask "Is that all? Nothing more than just friends catching up for old time's sake?" Hiryu caught off-guard by Kasumi's sudden attitude could only utter out "I well- I mean you- uh-" Kasumi let's out a gasp however before Hiryu could answer, and immediately undoes Hiryu's bandage and push him out while saying quickly something along the lines of "Let's catch up later Hiryu, I got things to check here first bye!". Hiryu initially confused tries to open the door to the room but its locked, however seeing his light injuries healed and that Kasumi is currently busy he decides to go to the audience's stands to watch the tournament's rounds. Watching the Tournament's rounds was both interesting and insightful as the contestant that succeeded the rounds after Hiryu's had warriors of interest. The round after Hiryu's was with a Sister of Order paired with an Imperial Helmsguard who both won the round, the third round was with the Barbarian Tervar who alone stood strong by the end, the fourth was a some sort of Martial Mimic who also stood alone in victory, lastly was a man-at-arms who what tactically overcame both opposition and ally as apparently the partner had betrayed him. In the end the remaining contestants were Hiryu, Je-Yel, Tervar, the Sister of Order, the Imperial Helmsguard, the Martial Mimic, and the Man-at-Arms. Hiryu goes to the preparation room, as the announcer had recalled any contestants remaining to return there for the semi-final rounds. Seeing the other contestants arrived before and in a line, Hiryu merely took his place among the others as Ferris stands before them once more. "Well done, for reaching the Semi-Finals is no easy feat compared to the competition you had on your way here. But it's only going to get harder from here as if look to your left and right, you can see your adversary is skilled and cunning like you. So from here on it will be traditional one-on-one duels, and to start us off we will have the Champion of Centura face against the Martial Mimic. Hiryu looks to left as he sees a rough tomboyish girl, who looking back at him gives him a distasteful look. Ferris would recount the names of the proceeding rounds such as Je-Yel and the Man-at-Arms, Tervar and the Imperial Helmsguard, and the Sister of Order will face a monster from the Arena. With all set Hiryu was to go onto the arena in five minutes, in that time Hiryu would talk to Martial Mimic. "So... Martial Mimic was it? I've seen you fight and it certainly a fitting title, I'm Hiryu by the way and you are?" Hiryu starts with. Giving him an uninterested look the girl simply answers "It's Veronika, and you shouldn't be conversing with enemy unless you really want to lose this match." Hiryu giving a confused look responds "I mean it is a competition but does that mean we have to hostile to each other? Can't we have a little civil sportsmanship during these times?" Veronika simply gives Hiryu an annoyed look before saying "See you in the arena." Then walks to the lifts, Hiryu look back at her only muses on what her deal is. No time to waste Hiryu goes to lift and is lifted up to the arena grounds, upon arriving the announcer speaks "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome back to the 39th Imperial Tournament, this is the Semi-Final rounds of the Tourney and so to kick off our duels we have the Champion of Centura against the Elusive Martial Mimic. Fighters stand at the ready!" Hiryu draws his short sword in an inverted grip and assumes a defensive stance, whilst Veronika assumes a stance similar to Hiryu but in the offensive stance. Hiryu though shocked by this does not allow himself to falter as he knew this would happen first, the announcer begins the match and Veronika charges at Hiryu with a short sword thrust. Blocking the attack Hiryu then turn to cut at Veronika but also blocked, and is forced back with an attack he did not anticipate thus leading to him being lightly cut at his chest. Hiryu assumes the offensive as he begins unleashing a flurry of cuts but again is intercepted each time by a block from Veronika; suddenly a sweep to his legs Hiryu lies on the ground with Veronika about to impale the ground. Dodging at the last possible minute Hiryu's cheek is cut but ultimately he comes out unscathed, sheathing his sword he beings to unleash a torrent of punches and kicks but Veronika also blocked these attacks as she throws her sword to the side. Pushing him back with a kick Hiryu staggers backwards for a moment before catching his footing and taking a breath. "You're good, you managed to get all my moves from the first match and replicate them almost flawlessly." Hiryu complimented. "It's child's play to replicate what you can do, and it'll be all the more easy to beat you." Veronika says before charging into a kick, Hiryu blocks it but unexpectedly she applies more kicks that bypassed his defense. As Hiryu staggers again a voice in his head rings "INSOLENCE", Hiryu shakes himself and tries to ignores the pounding in his head and attack Veronika but finds his attack to be sluggish. Taking advantage of his physical weakness, Veronika forces Hiryu to the ground before trying to high kick him whilst lying down. Rolling out of the way Hiryu's heads pound as the voice rings again "USE US", trying to shake the pounding off Hiryu now on his knees tries taking a breath but Veronika after retrieving her sword begins slashing at Hiryu. Using his short sword to block the attacks but eventually his guard falters as his sword begins to crack, desperately trying to hold out Hiryu head pounds harder as the voice yells "ACCEPT US" 'SHATTER' and the sword breaks. As Veronika's last cut was about to land Hiryu raising his left hand manifests the one of the six swords into it, thus promptly blocking the attack from landing. Hiryu's eyes meet with Veronika as shock is evident on her face but stoicism take hold of her as she attempt to punch Hiryu. Though the punch landed Hiryu begins to stand unfazed forcing her to backup and assume an offensive stance. Placing the sword at his waist, Hiryu standing up beckons Veronika to come at him as two more of the swords manifest onto his waist. Veronika taking the first strike makes a cut at Hiryu but before she could even land the first strike, Hiryu charging face first uses his sword's hilt to deflect cut and uses his sheath to thwack her across the face. Veronika shocked once again regains composure as she begins to do a flurry of slashes but Hiryu blocks every one of the attacks, to counteract this she reveals a hidden dagger mid-flurry but again is surprised as Hiryu catches her arm. Holding her by arm Hiryu forces her to fall by sweeping at her legs and removes the dagger from hand before letting her go. "Gah, what's your deal?! Where'd is this sudden surge of strength and technique come from!?" Veronika yells now frustration evident. Hiryu walking to put distance between him and her merely looks back in silence "What are you really fight for? There's no way it's for that backwater Centura, and it's clearly not for glory of winning a fight. I could say honor but that'd be wrong too as you clearly have that in abundance, so what is it?! The thrill of a fight!?" Veronika calls out before assuming an offensive stance. Hiryu merely look in silence as with one step forward he dashes towards Veronika before she could do anything and has his sword to her neck. Veronika now stunned and bewildered at what she bear witnessed to fell to her knees and see the blade of her sword begin to fall apart, the only thing is look into Hiryu's in fear as he says to her "I don't know why I fight, for all my training and practices I... cannot find the answer. But I know why you fight, your angry at what you are... a squalid nobody that hopes to rise and prove everyone wrong. That chip in your shoulder is going to burden you if you don't figure out who you are. You need not heed my words, but at least give it some thought." Hiryu then dissolves the swords from his person, and walks away from Veronika as the announcer in the background exclaims "What a shock! Though the Martial Mimic had initially had the Champion of Centura on the fence, she was overtaken by the Champion's secret technique! By divines the round goes to Centura's Champion!" Though the arena roared with cheers and cries Veronika still taken aback thinks on what Hiryu said to her. In the audience above Zeryas says to Kazuma "Impressive... Your disciple managed to overcome the Martial Mimic; perhaps he does stand a chance against in the finals." "Yes... Indeed." Kazuma says in response as he is deep in thought. Witnessing Hiryu summon fourth and manifest those swords stuck to Kazuma as none of the eight seniors specialized in that form of combat, and he knows for certain that he could not have learnt that on his own with normal swords. "Kazuma, I believe this is yours." a woman dressed in ornate robes says to him. Kazuma breaking thought for a moment sees that a large pouch is given to him and could hear the cries of frustrated monastic elders behind her. "Thank you Ikumi." Kazuma says. "You seem deep in thought, something the matter?" Ikumi asked. "Mmhmm? Oh nothing, merely thinking on Hiryu has performed thus far." Kazuma responds. "Meeting expectations I hope?" Kassan says with a smile whilst playing with coin in her hands while Musashi next her is lightly crying at his lost. "In more ways than one, you can say." Kazuma says while looking at the exit Hiryu took.