A visit from an old rival
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Shen lay sprawled on the floor of the arena, his breath ragged and his body aching. Over him stood Kaito, a towering figure with a smug grin, having barely won using psychokinesis. Shen's mind raced; he had fought valiantly but felt the effects of Kaito's unconventional methods. As Kaito basked in his victory, Shen couldn't help but feel the sting of defeat.
Roshi, observed from the sidelines. He had seen this technique before—psychokinesis, the ability to manipulate physical objects and inflict pain without direct contact. I have to warn Shen, Roshi thought, but the fight was over, and it was now his turn.
As he stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere shifted. The bright sky above contrasted with the tension brewing below. The crowd hushed, all eyes on Roshi as he faced Kaito, who was now riding high on his recent victory.
Just moments earlier, the dojo had buzzed with chatter. The challengers were from the Monkey School, opened by Mutaito's elder brother, Kazuki. The tension was palpable as the two brothers exchanged playful barbs.
"Still using that ancient technique, Kazuki?" Mutaito mocked, a grin on his face. "I thought you'd have something new by now."
Kazuki chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "At least I teach my students the importance of winning, unlike you, who seems content to let them fail in front of their rivals!"
"You wouldn't know a good philosophy if it knocked you out cold!" Mutaito shot back, feigning innocence. "Besides, we all know it's not the style that matters; it's how you execute it. Or is that what you tell yourself to cope with your inferior teachings?"
"Ah, classic Mutaito! Always the philosopher, never the winner!" Kazuki laughed, shaking his head. "Let's see if your students can handle my Kaito!"
As Kaito prepared to face Roshi, the tension returned. Roshi's resolve hardened; he would not allow this challenge to tarnish Mutaito's honor.
"Ready to lose, Roshi?" Kaito taunted, a glint of arrogance in his eyes.
Roshi clenched his fists, a steely determination building within him. "Let's see what you've got."
As the match began, Kaito wasted no time. He launched himself at Roshi, fists flying. Roshi deftly sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as Kaito's punch narrowly missed him. He countered with a swift kick aimed at Kaito's midsection. But Kaito anticipated the move and twisted aside, using psychokinesis to send a wave of force into Roshi's gut.
Roshi doubled over, gasping. This is how he fights? The pain was sharp, and a wave of nausea washed over him. Kaito chuckled, clearly enjoying Roshi's struggle. "Feeling a bit queasy, are we?"
Roshi straightened, fighting against the discomfort. He recognized the pain; it was all part of Kaito's psychokinesis, targeting his internal organs, much like how Chaozu had used it in battles before. "Not done yet!" he shouted, determination igniting within him.
Gathering his ki, Roshi focused. He felt the familiar warmth flow through him, igniting every muscle in his body. He concentrated harder, channeling his ki toward his internal organs to fortify them. With a fierce battle cry, he surged forward, landing a solid punch to Kaito's jaw, sending him stumbling back.
Kaito recovered quickly, rage flaring in his eyes. "You think you can just hit me and walk away?" he roared, retaliating with a flurry of punches. Roshi felt the force of each blow resonate through his body, but he held strong, adapting with every hit, slowly becoming accustomed to the sharp pain targeting his internal organs.
The crowd was on edge as the two fighters exchanged blows. Roshi felt every bruise and scrape, each hit reminding him of the honor at stake. He ducked and weaved, his movements becoming instinctual, a dance of survival. Each time Kaito's strikes landed, Roshi could feel the pain spreading, but he focused on augmenting his internal organs, reinforcing himself against the onslaught.
"Is this all you've got?" Kaito sneered, launching a blast of psychokinetic energy that sent Roshi flying across the arena. He hit the ground hard, pain radiating through his body, but he pushed through, refusing to let Kaito see him falter.
As Roshi pushed himself up, he felt the power of ki bubbling within him. He began to augment his entire body, focusing on his core, fortifying himself against Kaito's next attack.
The final moments of the match felt like an eternity. Kaito charged at him, eyes blazing with fury. Roshi, fueled by determination, met him head-on. They collided in a cacophony of strikes—Roshi augmenting his punches, Kaito utilizing his psychokinesis to inflict pain.
Roshi was pushed to his limits, but he refused to back down. He felt the strain in his muscles, the exhaustion creeping in. After an intense exchange, both fighters found themselves locked in a stalemate, neither willing to give an inch.
With one final push, Roshi unleashed a flurry of punches, but Kaito, using his age and experience to his advantage, countered with brutal efficiency. The match reached a fever pitch, culminating in a draw, both fighters collapsing to the ground, spent.
As the crowd erupted in applause, Roshi lay there, disappointed in his inability to secure a victory. I wanted to honor Master Mutaito, he thought, the weight of expectations heavy on his heart. Just as the cheers began to fade, he felt the darkness closing in.
With a final, exhausted sigh, Roshi fainted, the arena blurring into nothingness.