Chun shielded his eyes from the massive ball of light hanging above the arena as he walked into it. His bo staff was propped up on his shoulder. Across the arena, his opponent did the same, using his own staff like a walking stick despite his youth.
Chun’s opponent, Zu Dio, was a young man. He stood a few inches taller than Chun with emerald-colored eyes and shoulder-length brown hair. He wore a grey gi that wasn’t tied, showing his athletic build to the crowd. His pants were the same grey color, and he didn’t wear shoes of any kind. His staff also seemed more than mundane. Chun could feel the faint pulse of energy coming from the man’s weapon.
The two stopped five feet from each other as a booming voice echoed across the arena.
“The third fight of the night is underway! This match is between the sponsor of The Rose Treasury Pavilion, a talented martial artist of the first Martial Stage!” The voice paused for a moment to let the crowd cheer before it continued. “And the sponsor of the Iron Spider Gang, a new upstart within the syndicate who has recently achieved the second Martial Stage!” Another cheer echoed. “Spirits are high, and the bets are in. So without further ado, let this fight commence!”
Chun expected his opponent to shoot at him as soon as the fight started, but instead, Zu just looked down at him with a raised brow.
“I can’t believe they let someone of only the first Martial Stage even enter. As a sponsor no less.” He sighed and adjusted his grip on his staff at one end and swung it towards Chun’s head. It was a casual blow, but it moved faster than what most normal people could react to.
Chun, however, ducked below the staff and swung down with his own as he removed it from his shoulder. It too, was a casual strike, but it still made Zu’s eyes widen.
The larger man stepped back as the staff crashed down where he had been. A small burst of sand exploded out as the tip of the weapon struck it.
Chun pulled back his staff and held it in its center again. “Did you miss the ‘talented’ part?” He asked as he got into a fighting stance. He had confidence in beating Zu, but he wasn’t going to let his guard down against his opponent.
Zu looked Chun up and down as if reassessing him. He changed grip on his staff to its center and took a proper combat stance. Then Chun shot forward. He opened with a thrust to the man’s midsection but Zu dodged and counted with a swing at Chun’s side only for him to leap over the swing.
While in the air, Chun spun his staff and arced the end of his staff to Zu’s head only for him to knock it aside with his own. As he landed, he stepped away from a light swing from Zu, who backed away in turn.
The two fighters glared at each other for a moment.
“You’re oddly fast for someone on the first Martial Stage. And I am considered fast for my own Martial Stage. Why did the pavilion choose to enhance your body so much? A familial relation with the owner, perhaps.” Zu asked.
“They have done nothing to enhance my abilities,” Chun said as he stepped forward again.
The two traded a few blows and counters, with neither landing any decisive blows before backing away again.
“You seem young for a martial artist. Though your body may simply be deceiving.” Another flurry of blows was traded between them. This time, however, Chun sped up as he dodged one of Zu’s attacks. He thrust his staff forward with more effort than he’d offered before. This blow broke through the larger man’s guard and struck his sternum. Zu was sent sliding back several feet from the blow before finally stopping himself nearly 10 feet away.
“I would say that’s accurate. But let's stop testing each other, alright?” Chun asked as he twirled the staff in his hands.
Zu looked at his opponent sceptically. His internal energy pulsed to shroud his body. It was a dull grey and fluctuated slightly. The aura shrank back into itself to coat his body in a thin layer of internal energy.
Suddenly, a system message appeared in Chun’s mind.
Martial Technique Learned: Aura Shield
Chun could immediately see how Zu’s internal energy condensed and encased his body. It was similar to his Iron Body Art, but far less refined. It seemed like Aura Shield was a ‘beginner’ version of the Iron Body Art. He could even tell that Zu’s technique was flawed. His internal energy was spread evenly like it should have been, but several spots on his torso were less defended than others. Though, to his credit, his heart was covered by a relatively thick layer of internal energy.
Chun smiled as Zu charged at him again. The two swung at the same time, meeting in the middle. An echoing clack burst through the air as their weapons met. Chun was the first to make another attack. He spun his staff upward to knock his opponent’s weapon upward, opening his guard. Then he turned his staff down and hit Zu on the shoulder. Chun saw the shield of internal energy around his opponent’s body flicker.
The energy around his shoulder cracked and shattered like a thin pane of glass. He could have struck the man with even more force if he really tried. While he couldn’t put a specific value on how much effort he’d put into the strike, his estimate was around four points of his six he had in his strength stat. Had he swung with all his might, he may have completely broken Zu’s arm rather than merely dislocating his shoulder.
Zu leapt backwards as pain shot through his arm only for Chun to give chase with a thrust of his staff. The sponsor of the Iron Spider Gang didn’t have time to defend himself as the tip of the staff struck the center of his chest. The internal energy over Zu’s chest shattered and a dull crack pulsed through his body as he was sent backwards over 10 feet onto his back.
Zu clutched his chest, but quickly rolled onto his feet and faced Chun. The smaller of the two men was rather surprised at Zu’s agility after getting his sternum cracked.
“Who are you?” Zu asked. “Are you truly only within the first Martial Stage? You haven’t even used a single technique. I haven’t even seen your internal energy.”
Chun smirked. He quite enjoyed the confusion of those who thought they were stronger. It was why his prior life had enjoyed overpowered characters. “I am the man who killed Heiyin. One of your associates, if I’m correct?”
Zu raised a brow. “That was you?” He scoffed and gripped his staff. “He may have been weak but he was a useful piece of income.” Zu’s internal energy flared as the shield around him vanished entirely and began to flow into the ends of his staff. “The boss will be happy when she hears about me killing your ass.”
Chun didn’t respond as Zu tossed his staff into the air. At the apex of its height, Zu leapt up himself with a grunt. His opponent watched as Zu’s internal energy hardened around his staff, reinforcing it like it did his body.
Chun recognized a martial technique in Zu’s movement, but no system message came to him. Was this something his Prodigy modification didn’t see as ‘basic’? Regardless, he could still see how the internal energy flowed and attempt to imitate it the old-fashioned way.
Zu spun in the air and kicked the end of his staff. The weapon shot towards Chun much faster than any attack either had made thus far. Even Chun was caught off guard by its speed. Regardless, it was slow enough for him to react.
Chun’s internal energy encased his body like a dense suit of armor as he used his Iron Body Art; a system message followed.
Iron Body Art Used: -5 Internal Energy
Iron Body Art Effect: +10 Durability, +5 Strength
He wasn’t sure if he ever needed to use the technique, but it wouldn’t hurt.
He stepped aside as the bo staff approached him. His speed made his reactions far faster than his Martial Stage- and even those above him- could reasonably achieve. He kicked the tip of the staff to shift it upright before hopping up and kicking the bottom end with his other foot. He and the staff rose into the air as Zu dropped to the ground, his eyes wide at Chun’s movement.
The first-stage Martial Artist locked eyes with Zu as the staff aimed itself at Zu thanks to a slight adjustment from Chun. He injected his internal energy into the weapon. It flowed like water, as if it were a part of his body. No doubt, thanks to his Incorporated Mysteries Art. The energy condensed far more than it had for Zu, forming a tip at one end like a spear. Chun kicked the other end of the staff with all his might. The weapon shot forward like the bolt of a ballista towards the martial artist. He used his Aura Shield technique again and even tried to dodge. But the weapon moved too fast.
The energy-coated staff struck Zu’s shoulder and easily pierced his aura shield. The weapon went though Zu’s shoulder entirely, severing his right arm from his body. The staff kept flying before slamming into the stone wall. A small crack formed across it on impact. It likely would have been bigger had the staff not shattered into splinters.
Chun powered down as he touched the ground and finally paid attention to two system messages in his mind.
Martial Technique Used: -2 Internal Energy
Martial Technique Learned: Iron Lance
Across the arena, Zu collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain at the loss of his arm. But it was soon drowned out by the booming voice of the commentator.
“What a fantastic performance from the sponsor of the Rose Treasury Pavilion! I suppose there’s a reason he is referred to as talented! The sponsor of the Iron Spider Gang, on the other hand, is in for quite the rough time! The winner is the sponsor of the Rose Treasury Pavilion!”
As the voice boomed through the air, Chun walked from the arena with a smile on his face.
***
“Well that was frustrating.” A silver haired woman said from one of the VIP stands that looked over the arena. She was a beautiful woman even amongst martial artist’s standards. Her curvaceous form held far more strength than most expected. Like many in her field, she was somewhat stronger than the average of her Martial Stage through the use of pills and elixirs. And, of course, training. She wore a flowing black and silver dress that was just translucent enough to give any who looked at her the faintest hint of what lay beneath it.
She lounged in one of the chairs within the room. She lazily spun one of her silver bracelets around on her finger as she pondered the events that just occurred. They had put a considerable amount of resources into Zu Dio, only for his flame to get snuffed before his real potential could truly shine. Technically the Iron Spider Gang had the resources to regrow the man’s arm, but not resources they were willing to spend on someone of merely the second Martial Stage.
“But that boy was impressive.” She muttered to herself. “What was his name again?” Her head turned to the man standing at attention next to her chair.
“Chun Hyang, Ms. Kali.” The man said. He looked somewhat young for his age; rather effeminate, in fact. His hair was thick and black, styled so it fell in front of his eyes. His eyes themselves were a dazzling sapphire blue. An oddity of some distant ancestry.
Ms. Kali tapped a nail on her chin. “Anything else?”
“Practically none.” The man sounded slightly disappointed. “He is an apothecary at the Studded Pearl, however. A brothel in the middle district of the port.”
“Isn’t that where Heiyin was killed?” The woman asked, getting a nod from her underling. The woman only let out a light ‘hm’ in response. “Perhaps we have quite an interesting individual on our hands. Are you aware of how he became a sponsor of the Rose Treasury Pavilion?”
“Nothing beyond the knowledge that the owner of the company regularly visits his place of work.” The man said.
“Remind me to track him down after this tournament is over, will you?” The woman asked, though she didn’t expect an answer. “Assuming he doesn’t die, of course. Even prodigies have a limit to how far above their stage they can reach. Let's just hope that boy knows his.”