Chapter 4 - Tiger Vs Sword

"Ready?"

"Alright let's go bartender!"

Tora held her hand out.

"But first let's move the kid out of the way of our fight."

Takahito nodded. Takahito put his sword and then picked Renki up and threw him on the bar's roof.

-Aw that hurt!

"Hey! Be careful with him!"

Takahito grinned.

"Alright, whatever you say."

"Okay, the prize of this duel is the kid. If I lose I take him with me. But, if you win you get to do whatever you want with the kid and I'm not allowed to intervene."

Takahito nodded while picking up his sword.

"I'm surprised you could even lift a blade that size."

"This sword was made from the depths of my mind so of course, I could lift it. Now if you don't mind can we cut the chatter and start the fight?"

"Alright, begin!"

-Even though I can't see the fight, I'll just listen and learn. He thought as he stared up at the moon from the roof.

"Devine Sunlight Dragon Nikko!"

Takahito's blade shone brightly before turning into a small winged dragon made out of pure sunlight. The dragon rose high above the clouds before diving down and aiming at Tora. Tora wasn't dodging which confused Takahito.

"You aren't dodging?"

"Are you sure about that?"

The flow of time around Tora's body completely stopped as a green-eye-like object opened up on her forehead.

"Eye of the Tiger!"

Tora quickly dashed over to Takahito preparing an attack. Her right arm transformed into a green energy.

"Shujin Tiger Technique: Tiger Jab!"

She clenched her right fist tightly before striking Takahito in his chest. A burst of green energy blasted a hole in Takahito's chest.

"Unfreeze."

The eye that was on her forehead closes up as the flow of time resumes as normal. Takahito coughs up blood as to him a sudden burst of pain flowed through his body.

-What happened I didn't hear what she did!? Renki thought.

"How!?"

Takahito touches the hole in his chest as Tora smirks. The dragon Takahito summoned earlier made contact with the ground causing a huge explosion.

"It's simple, I used my ability eye of the Tiger to stop the flow of time."

"Damn you! Heal!"

Takahito jumped back landing on his feet a few feet away from Tora. The wound Tora created is now healed.

"Come forth Nikko!"

The same huge golden sword from earlier reappeared in Takahito's hands.

"But there is a drawback to my technique."

"What's the point of telling me?"

"That drawback is that since time is frozen except for me, the time I spend in frozen time takes real time off of my life. And the reason I'm telling you all of this is that I won't be wasting it on an opponent like you again."

"An opponent like me?"

"I mean a brash opponent who only uses flashy attacks instead of calm and precise techniques like I do."

Takahito smirks.

"Why are you smirking?"

"Because your assessment of me is hypocritical!"

"How so?"

"You say that my attacks are only flashy and that I'm brash but, from what I've seen your attacks are also flashy!"

Tora began to laugh maniacally.

"What's so funny?"

"Your argument is also incorrect."

"How?"

"My techniques may be flashy but they are more like a dance than any regular move. And I'll show just how strong they are! Shujin Tiger Technique: Tiger Flash Burst Dance!"

She twirled, spun around, and then clapped 3 times. She repeated this 7 times.

-The only reason I'm not attacking while she's dancing is that I wanna try something out.

She got on her hands and knees before springing up in the air a few feet off the ground. She then extended her leg out kicking at Takahito who blocked her attack by using his sword.

"I will break past your defenses!"

"I will win our fight, a battle of Tiger vs sword!"

She repeats her attacks 3 times but, fails to pierce his defenses.

"Again!"

She kicks one final time which cracks the center of the blade.

"I did it."

"You may have cracked it but, you haven't broke past my blade!"

A golden aura surrounded his body as Tora prepared another kick.

"Sunglasses!"

Tora kicks the blade which connects and makes it seem as if it was going to crack and shatter. Suddenly Takahito swung his blade forward while Tora's foot was still connected to his. He swung the blade which sliced Tora's legs clean off. Her blood sprayed everywhere as her legs fell to the ground she let out an ear-piercing scream.

"Ahhhh!"

The second her legs were severed she felt an unimaginable pain go through her whole body.

-Damn I let my guard down for just a second and I lost my legs!

-What happened was Tora hurt!? Renki thought.

"Heal!"

A green light wrapped around where her legs once were. Moments later her legs fully regenerated. Tora stood up and stared down at Takahito.

"That was just a lucky shot!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, you dirty bastard."

"Shut up. Blinding Lights!"

Takahito held his sword high above his head and began to gather energy.

"What are you planning?"

The tip of the blade suddenly let out an extremely bright light which momentarily blinded Tora. That moment was all he needed.

"You damn mole rat!"

Takahito swung his blade down upon Tora who managed to sense the blow coming. She took a step back as quickly as she could but, it wasn't enough. Her stomach was sliced open by the tip of the blade. She let out a scream as she fell to her knees. She held her stomach as blood spilled out of it.

"You bitch!"

She used healing to seal up her stomach. Her hands were covered in her own blood which only fueled Takahito.

"What's wrong, you hurt?" Takahito said mockingly.

"I won't be mocked by the likes of you!"

She got up and took in a deep breath before exhaling.

Her hands became cloaked in a bright yellow light that formed in the shape of tiger claws.

"What are you up to?"

"I'll fight fire with fire, blade with claws. Shujin Tiger Technique: Paws of The King!"

The light fully formed a pair of paws with yellow fur and razor-sharp black claws.

"So you think you could challenge my blade!?"

"I don't think I can challenge you..."

"Then wh-"

"I'm gonna defeat you!"

They launched at each other at incredibly high speeds. Tora slammed her claws against Takahito's blade. The clash created shockwaves around them as both of them pushed against each other's power.

"Wow, Both of them seem insanely strong," Renki said.

Renki sighed.

-I think I can move again.

Renki managed to sit and get a clear look at the fight. He was sore from the beating Takahito gave him but he didn't care he was just excited to see the fight.

"I wonder who's going to win, Morikawa-sensei or the Tiger lady?"

They pushed and pushed until eventually they were both pushed back a couple of centimeters. Refusing to let up, seconds later they clashed once again in a burst of bright light they threw barrages of attacks at each other, but none of their attacks connected. A bit tired out, they both jumped back creating a few feet of space between each other. They both sighed and stretched their bodies.

"Must I say, Tiger, you're not so bad."

Tora smirked.

"You are not too shabby yourself." She snorted back.

"Believe me, I'm flattered!"

Takahito dragged his blade to his side as his blade became engulfed in a blue light and its destructive power increased from its normal state.

"What are you doing? You could destroy the entirety of the slums with that attack!"

"I know what I'm doing."

-I'm betting that she's gonna reflect my divine blue and she'll fall right into my trap!

-Woah, Morikawa-sensei's gonna attack her with that!?

The blade sparked with an extremely hot blue flame.

"Devine Blue!"

He dragged the blade in front of him as the flame concentrated on the tip of the blade. The flame shot out of the tip as a narrow and small beam with it being directly aimed at Tora.

-So that's what he's planning and it's coming right towards me!

Tora's claws lit up with a bright yellow light as she prepared to deflect the attack.

"Shujin Tiger Technique: Tora Kagami!"

-I was right.

The blast and her claws connected. She began to be pushed as she dug her heels into the ground. She flexed her muscles as she finally managed to reflect the beam right back at Takahito. Takahito held his blade up like a baseball bat. As the blade and the beam made contact Takahito smiled before launching it right back at Tora.

"you fool! I expected you to do that! One thing above my divine blue is that if it comes back the beam becomes 2 times stronger than before!"

-Crap I did exactly what he wanted me to... damn it!

"I wonder what the Tiger is gonna do now that Morikawa-sensei's attack is stronger."

"50%!"

Tora became engulfed in a bright yellow aura as she showed fifty percent of her power. Her aura burst as an all-yellow short sword with Tiger fur on the handle formed in her hands. Takahito dropped his sword and fell to his knees with a shocked look on his face.

"She was holding back!?" Renki and Takahito both said.

"Shujin Tiger Technique: Tiger Blade!"

She swung the sword downwards and sliced the beam in half causing it to disappear into thin air. The slash was traveling at seven times the speed of light and since he couldn't even react Takahito was horizontally slashed across his chest. Takahito slumped over in incredible pain as he clutched his chest tightly.

"I didn't even see her move so how did she slash Morikawa-sensei!?"

"How did you do that?" Takahito said weakly.

Tora smirked.

"My fifty percent is beyond your comprehension....weakling."

Those words enraged Takahito whose bloodlust increased.

"Heal."

His wound was covered in a green light as his wound closed up.

"Tell me, Takahito do you forfeit?"

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

He began laughing like a madman which made Renki nervous.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Do I forfeit....."

His skin turned blood red as his hair turned white and became slightly longer. His eyes went bloodshot as his teeth became sharper and his skin felt as if someone stuck their hand in an active volcano. His body temperature rose so much that his skin is melting and steam is coming off of his body. Most of all he's 10 times stronger than he was before and for this power, one would have to sacrifice their sanity. He grabbed his blade by the handle and the blade's color turned crimson red as it burned brightly its temperature reached 392 degrees Fahrenheit. The blade was so hot it could be felt hundreds of miles away from where he stood.

"Why am I not burning alive?"

Renki looked at his hands and saw a yellow outline.

"Is she shielding me from the heat?"

Renki frowned.

"But everyone in the bar is probably dead from the heat but why is the bar not burning down? Unless it's due to the bar being built by sensei's imagination? And I have to wonder, what is this strange form?"

Renki foamed at the mouth while growling. His muscles grew as he held his demonic-looking sword high above his head.

"RAMPAGE, NIKKO!!!"

"He's using rampage now!?"

Takahito flew high up in the sky followed by Tora.

"IN THIS FORM, I WOULD ONLY HAVE 10 ATTACKS BEFORE BECOMING DULLED BUT... I'LL USE IT UP ALL IN ONE MEGA ATTACK!"

-I'll bide my time for now.

"REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING ABOUT DESTROYING A MOUNTAIN RANGE IN YOUR PRIME? WELL, I COULD DESTROY 12 MOUNTAIN RANGES!"

-Well that was a lie. Never show your true power at the beginning that's a basic of fighting. In my real peak, I could destroy a decent size country.

Takahito's blade became hotter and hotter until it made even Tora begin to sweat. It was like this for 12 more seconds until it peaked.

"Heat God Nikko Rising!"

His blade illuminated the night sky which caused Renki's eyes pain if he tried to look at it.

-Wow Morikawa-sensei's a beast!

Takahito swung his blade upon Tora who blocked with her Tiger Blade. Takahito began pushing against Tora who seemed to be losing until she smirked.

"WHY ARE YOU SMIRKING!?"

"Don't get me wrong your attack is strong but... your power is nothing compared to mine!"

"Huh?"

"69%!"

Golden sparks of electricity surrounded her whole body as she shattered the Nikko blade by simply tapping it with the Tiger blade to Takahito's shock.

"Y-YOU DESTROYED MY NIKKO!?"

Suddenly Takahito turned back to normal as he entered a dulled state. He began to fall from the sky when suddenly, Tora caught him in her arms.

"Tell me, do you give up?"

-Sensei lost!?

"Never...I'll get stronger and increase my creativity and kill all of you!"

"Fine then, I'll have no choice but to kill you."

"Then do it!"

"Shujin Tiger Sword Technique: Carnage!"

Tora shoved the Tiger sword into Takahito's stomach. The Tiger sword began glowing brightly and then suddenly all of his organs exploded at once which created a hole in his back making his bones fully visible. His blood sprayed all over Tora soaking her clothes in blood. His blood poured down below creating a sort of blood rain.

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"What is this?"

I looked at the palm of my hand and saw what looked to be someone's blood, was it mine? I then heard what sounded like raindrops hitting the ground. I looked over to my right and all I saw was the ground covered in blood. I was horrified and sick to my stomach as the memories of the corpse of the man in the alley flooded back into my head. Then I realized the horrible truth...someone had died because of me again.

"Sensei..."

I looked up at the sky, the clouds were clear and I saw Tora the violet-haired fighter holding Morikawa-sensei's corpse in her arms...she was covered in Morikawa-sensei's blood. Then I thought I saw her crack a smile at me. Does a Tiger really beat a Sword?