Mai Shiranui gripped her chest as she glared at Mary, who had just landed a solid hit. The gasps from the surrounding disciples echoed through the dojo as Mai's expression turned darker.
"Oh, so you're a trained fighter, huh?" she snarled, her voice brimming with anger. "Then let's get serious!"
With a determined cry, she tore off her formal kimono, sending it spinning in the air. When the fabric settled, she stood there transformed—dressed in her iconic battle attire. It was bold and revealing, fashioned more from strategic strips than actual clothing, but this was no ordinary outfit. It was the legendary Shiranui kunoichi battle attire, specially designed to distract enemies and grant its wearer a decisive edge.
Though the outfit seemed inappropriate for combat, it was an authentic piece of gear—blue-tier equipment, even among adventurers. Its risqué design wasn't just for show; it was a crafted technique to draw an opponent's focus and lower their guard. Coupled with Mai's agile movements and her remarkable beauty, this attire was dangerously effective, especially against men, who would find their battle readiness cut by half.
Mary stared, wide-eyed at Mai's new look, finally understanding why Qin Ming had described her as "the curvy beauty." She had to admit—it fit perfectly.
But Mary barely had time to react as Mai launched her next attack. With a swift leap, she brought her legs together and spun toward Mary like a human whirlwind.
Skill: Dance of the Flying Squirrel (C-Rank)!
Watching Mai hurtling toward her, Mary immediately dropped into a stance, ready to counter.
The air rang with a flurry of blows as the two quick-footed martial artists clashed, neither able to gain the upper hand. Qin Ming, observing from the side, adjusted his goggles and activated his Dinosaur Vision to analyze Mai's stats.
Name: Mai Shiranui (Fatal Fury World)
Strength: 25
Constitution: 25
Agility: 40
Spirit: 25
Skills: Back Kick (D-Rank), Flower Fan (D-Rank), Dance of the Flying Squirrel (C-Rank), Swallow Slash (C-Rank), Dragon Flame Dance (C-Rank), Super Secret Swallow Slash (B-Rank)
Description: One of the last remaining members of the Shiranui clan, a prodigy who has fully mastered the art of Shiranui Ninjutsu.
Mai's attributes nearly matched Mary's, with both maxing out agility and boasting a formidable set of moves typical of any seasoned martial artist. Their abilities were nearly identical, leaving them locked in a fierce, evenly-matched struggle.
Seeing this, Qin Ming decided not to intervene. His previous advantage over Mary had mostly been due to her grappling style, which he could counter with his high defense and strength. But Mai was a different story; her quick, evasive style was a bad match for him, so he wisely opted to stay back and watch.
Mai's speed and Mary's relentless grapples made for an intense, captivating battle, mesmerizing the disciples. The two women's contrasting styles were enthralling. Mai's fluid and agile movements, combined with her outfit, stirred a mixture of excitement and tension in her onlookers, while Mary's powerful throws and holds kept them on the edge of their seats.
But before they could declare a winner, a loud crash broke through the sounds of battle. Wood splintered as a tall, blond man in a tight training suit burst into the dojo. His hair was tied in a short ponytail, and his eyes narrowed at the scene before him. Without a moment's hesitation, he charged up an energy sphere in his hands and fired it toward Mary.
Skill: Flying Fist (C-Rank)!
With a whirring noise, the fiery energy sphere hurtled toward Mary, who quickly raised her arms to block. But just before it hit her, a flaming fan flew out of nowhere and collided with the energy attack, canceling it out in a brilliant explosion.
Mai, standing with one hand on her hip and a fan in the other, looked back at the blond man, annoyed. "This is my fight, Andy! Stay out of it!"
Not waiting for a response, she spun back to Mary, whipping her skirt around like a flaming whip.
Skill: Dragon Flame Dance (C-Rank)!
The flaming fabric swept toward Mary with a crackling hiss, forcing her to take a step back. But Mary's eyes sparkled with a fierce light, and she grinned as she shouted and rushed forward.
For her, fighting a powerful female opponent was a rare and thrilling experience. She couldn't waste this opportunity to see which of them was truly stronger.
The two charged at each other, each poised to strike as their techniques clashed head-on.
Swallow Slash vs. Rising Arrow!
Meanwhile, Andy, one of the two legendary Bogard brothers and a central figure in the Fatal Fury world, felt a bit embarrassed. He had mistaken Mary and Qin Ming for intruders, disrupting the dojo. Just as he opened his mouth to apologize, a sharp, slicing sound filled the air.
With barely a second to react, Andy launched another Flying Fist to counter the incoming attack. His energy ball collided with a spinning blade, each dissipating the other with a small shockwave. Andy whipped his head around to see Qin Ming, arms extended, standing just a few steps away. The two locked eyes, and in that instant, they knew what would happen next.
Flying Fist vs. Sonic Blade!
Andy launched another energy ball as Qin Ming swung both arms to unleash twin air blades. The two attacks met midair and exploded, leaving them both undeterred and ready for the next move.