Soukei Baku Episode 6: Powerful Shadows

Written By: Rasheem, MC
　
While the tournament took place outside, the shadows carefully embraced the
presence of the Yinpochi warrior who arrived with Osagawa.
He had went undetected, slipping under the banner of the Amaretsu's dormitory.
He found himself entering the private room of Amaretsu's headmaster.
The warrior's eyes scanned the area and landed on Susano's statue. He approached
it quietly with his eyes fixated on the statue's breast. A smirk appeared on his
lips underneath that two-faced mask of his.
The Yinpochi warrior knew how the death of Susano came to be. It was the perfect
plan to dismantle Wu-Shin's reputation. A year back, the Yinpochi
assassin was tasked to infiltrate the academy. As he entered this very room,
he found Wu-Shin's wife asleep. He had recieved word that Wu-Shin
was currently located inside Xaohu's training room.
As the lady slept, the assassin took silent steps beside her bed. As he knelt beside
the beautiful Susano, he could feel her sweet, minted breath as she inhaled and
exhaled. Reaching around to a satchel strapped to his lower backside, he took out
a short wooden stake. The measurements of the stake were around 2-3 inches in length,
and 1 inch in width. The stake's fine point was sharp and if done correctly, could
penetrate someone's flesh without them feeling it. This was the Yinpochi's special way
of assassinating their target. The eyes on the warrior's happy face scanned her body and
found that her right arm had been exposed. As she slept, her right sleeve must've
scaled up her arm without her knowing.
After a quick dab with the stake, he looked over to her eyes and realized she was still
asleep. The stake induced a poison element inside of her body, and would develop
over time. He slowly risen and made his exit without a noise.
While the Yinpochi warrior stood in front of the statue, a young female assistant, who
regularly brought the headmaster a warm cup of tea, entered the room without noticing
the Yinpochi warrior there. The girl had pale skin, long pink hair, wearing a black and white
apron, and wore white sandals. She came in carrying a wooden board that balanced
a silver tea pot, along with a silver cup filled with tea. As she placed the board on Wu-Shin's
bed table, she turned around and gasped at the sudden presence before her.
The angry expression on the Yinpochi's mask narrowed its eyes into hers. She stood there
as her body began trembling in fear. She didn't speak, nor did she move.
As the Yinpochi turned around and smiled, he looked over at the pot of tea she had
brought in. His plan was to poison the tea, and hope that Wu-Shin sipped it after
the tournament. However...there was still one issue that had be solved...
Meanwhile, back at the tournament...
As soon as Homaru shouted to begin, Reiji planted his feet and dashed forward at Byakuga.
As he ran, his body was slightly bent, holding his katana in the reverse angle behind
his back. The side of the blade lightly pressed against the back of his left forearm.
As his position changed, his left hand reached around behind him and lightly touched the
shuriken that he had hidden. In mid-range, he took the shuriken and launched it toward
Byakuga, as he waited patiently for what the boy may do.
Byakuga widened his eyes at the sudden speed of his opponent. He wasn't expecting the
boy to act so soon. He barely saw the shuriken that was launched at him, however,
just in time, he lunged his body toward the left as the shuriken cut through strays of his hair.
The shuriken continued forth in the distance, over the heads of the students who surrounded
the ring. Byakuga quickly withdrew his katana and planted his right foot forward ahead of
him. Now holding his sword in both hands, he lifted the sword and attacked. The blade
came down vertically at the incoming Reiji once he was melee range.
Reiji swung his right arm in front of him, allowing Byakuga's blade to graze the steel
that belonged to him. The force of the block bounced Byakuga's sword away from
his, leaving Byakuga exposed. His body crouched low and began rotating in a clockwise
motion, while the back of his right calf muscle aimed to sweep Byakuga off his feet.
Byakuga was quick to sense the leg sweep of Reiji, and hurled his body in the air over
Reiji's form, twirling in a one hundred eighty degree motion.
He landed in the middle of the ring and lunged after Reiji whos body was still crouched
low on the floor. As he came in, he lifted his right leg and sent a harsh stomp on the
boy's body. The clogs that Byakuga wore would've been a crucial hit.
Reiji's body curled itself toward the right. The momentum saved from the leg sweep
allowed him to dodge Byakuga's incoming foot stomp. As he did so, he propped himself
back to his feet and heard the loud thud coming from the boy's clogs.
Reiji turned around and took a few steps backward, aligning his position with the center
of the ring from the far right perimeter of his opponent.
"Heh...I see you got some moves...You're not too shabby with what you do. I suppose that
will be okay, so long as you don't hold back. I think I will enjoy t-" Byakuga was soon cut
off as Reiji rushed toward him.
Once he lifted his body off the floor, Reiji sent a vicious roundhouse kick that smashed
into the left side of Byakuga's cheek bone. The kick had the force to knock Byakuga's
head off of his shoulders...but that would've been very unfortunate, wouldn't it?
Even the students around the ring could hear the sound wave that came from the kick.
Byakuga yelped in pain as he was forced to hit the floor, nearly being knocked off as
he was tossed like a ragdoll. Reiji squenched his eyes, straightened his spine, and slid his sword back in its sheathe. Soukei, Naoki, and Ryukaga all looked on with their eyes wide.
"Byakuga!" shouted Naoki.
Homaru came sprinting on the stage and knelt down next to Byakuga whos eyes were
dazed. He checked Byakuga's pulse and sighed in relief to know that he was still
breathing, but it appears that he had been slightly knocked out cold. He turned to the
students who stood in silence awaiting for the announcement.
"And the winner is...Reiji Mong-Tsu!"
Members of the Makato clan cheered for their mate as he walked off stage,
brushing past Soukei and Naoki. He made his way back over toward
the Makato's dormitory. Soukei looked back and watched the boy enter.
He could not believe the massive power behind that kick...It was obvious he wanted
to kill Byakuga...but the question was why?
Naoki turned worried eyes over at Soukei.
"...Wow...I didn't realize how the Makato's technique was so powerful...-sigh-...
I hope Byakuga will be alright."
Ryukaga glanced over at Naoki who mentioned the strength in the Makato.
"It is true...we were always taught to implement as much power as we could in our
attacks, but it was the way you go about performing them that determines if it will be
effective or not. Reiji Mong-Tsu is but one of many who realizes that."
Naoki looked over at Ryukaga.
"I see..." she whispered under her breath.
After a small group of medics came and escorted Byakuga to the aid center inside
the main building of the school, Homaru stood there, awaiting to announce the next bout.
"Heh...powerful." Master Xaohu whispered over at Wu-Shin as he grinned.
Wu-Shin rolled his eyes at Xaohu's remark.
To be continued...