Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of Journeys We Make

Superheroes And Serial Killers

"And it seems like we've got a collision of some serious powerhouses in the southern area of the ring! The rogue ninja from Iwagakure, Ishigane Gyori, has collided with the self-named Hero Man! This is a truly an irresistible force meeting an immovable object type situation!" the announcer directed the audience's stares to the southern part of the arena where Hero Man threw a rapid flurry of blows that thundered out with booming shockwaves upon colliding with Gyori's obsidian Stone Skin to no effect.

"What did you do just now?" Hero Man inquired, staring at his fist while looking baffled. This was the first time that he had met a force that his fists couldn't budge from place or shatter when needed. "Your skin changed color."

Gyori opened his right palm and pressed his left fist to his open hand while taking a stout and balanced stance reminiscing those of ninja monks from the Earth Temple. "Your strength and toughness felt like they'd surpass mine when we first collided. That's impressive since I am a ninja who spent most of his life honing his taijutsu skills. It is entirely possible that you could meet any shinobi on an even battlefield. But what sets us ninja apart from superheroes is our ability to employ ninjutsu. Earth Style: Stone Skin hardens my body exponentially, responding to the amount of chakra channeled for the technique. This is the great equalizer that makes me invulnerable to the likes of you."

"Sorry, pal, I've never met an obstacle that I couldn't move. Moving and lifting big things is the essence of what makes a hero!" Hero Man struck a flashy pose with his hands pressed to his hips as he beamed an ivory smile to the stands where the audience marveled at his splendor while Guard Woman smacked her forehead and shook her head behind her colleague.

"How can you sound this inspiring and certain and be this wrong?" Guard Woman sighed. Despite their menial bickering from time to time, she now needed to rely on Hero Man to keep her in the competition against this Iwagakure rogue ninja seeking to eliminate her.

Hero Man vanished, disappearing into the sky and, seemingly, out of mind. In a blink, a sonic boom shockwave shook the entire arena. The quake rattled everyone's sense of balance, but it was one of many like it to come before and after. The warriors braced themselves and kept on brawling. Gyori pressed his knuckles to his sides and tempered his body. His opponent had vanished from sight and begun a ceaseless barrage of aerial battery and flying tackles, yet all of his blitzing attacks merely caused ripples to Gyori's impenetrable Stone Skin without harming what was inside. Granted, what was inside was almost as tough as the shell protecting it already.

"Stop pummeling him!" Guard Woman called out to her fellow hero. "Just throw him out of the arena!"

Hero Man plunged with a low blow, looking to scoop Gyori's feet and trip him up to make him easier to throw out. Unfortunately, he only swept through thin air as Gyori rolled himself into a human cannonball and shot into the air with an aerial evasive roll. By the time Hero Man turned to confront his opponent, a devastating kick slammed into Hero Man's jaw and rattled him into a stagger. With Hero Man's guard down, Gyori dug his fist into his opponent's ribs, then thrust his foot to Hero Man's shins. Despite the valiant effort, the irresistible hero didn't fold up and trip over himself. Emanating with an aura of chakra bursting from his obsidian skin, Gyori whipped his leg into the side of Hero Man's head. Not even a crushing kick to the temple felled the adamant hero.

Gyori vanished, matching Hero Man's speed as he delivered light-ray kicks from all sides with matching intensity to the first rocker. He tried to find Hero Man's weak spot where his body wouldn't have been as shot-proof, but nothing seemed to work. The overwhelmed superhero shook, rattled, and flinched, he rode the airwave that sent him flying back but he landed straight on both feet and dragged across the arena, stopping with his heels teetering over the edge.