Salem was stretched a bit than began tying his hair getting ready for his battle/test with Kazuki. He honestly didn't mind at all as the whole set up reminded him of a lot of fighting games like Tekken and Street Fighter, plus after his magic was back to normal, he was eager to have a little test run.
'Okay so I'm probably at a disadvantage when it comes to straight hands since he is the heir of a ninja clan.' Salem thought to himself.
Salem was decent when it came to hand-to-hand combat, but he wasn't a straight up martial arts master. Marron had taught him a good amount on martial arts and his combat ability was improved by sparring sessions with Morrigan along with all the battles he had been in but since Kazuki was a trained ninja hand to hand wasn't a favourable option and to make it worse, he didn't know his magic.
'This might be a little tricky.' The Take-over wizard thought and he remembered what the Akemi advised not to use his Quetzalcoatl form.
According to her, if he used its power then it would cause it to break the seal they placed on it and there would be a high chance it would probably take over my body.
'Good thing this isn't that serious.' Salem thought to himself.
"You boys ready?" Iroha asked both of us.
"Wait." Salem said as he finished tying his hair and putting on his bandanna. "Okay ready."
"Ready." Kazuki also nodded, getting into a stance.
"Okay Begin!" She declared and quickly disappeared from the field.
Salem noticed that Kazuki just stood there watching him, probably waiting for Salem to make the first move. Salem then tensed his legs and dug further into the ground lightly cracking the ground and dashed in breakneck speeds at Kazuki who wasn't all that surprised by the speed since Salem could keep up with him when they ran all the way to the village. Salem threw a strong punch to Kazuki's face.
'Good form but reckless.' Kazuki thought the punch was blocked, which caused a strong blow of wind and with the strength and momentum behind the attack Kazuki was pushed back.
Salem quickly turned the caught arm into the Zingore claw and shocked, making the man flinch in pain but kept his composure and threw a swift and strong kick landing in strength Chimwemwe's stomach sending him flying back but flipped and hand springing himself into the air. He turned his head into that of the Rathalos and began blasting fireballs from his mouth to Kazuki who dodged all the attacks.
When Salem landed on the ground Kazuki sped towards him and was automatically in front of him, but Salem could keep up and he was about to dodge it but was faint as Kazuki quickly threw a strong kick to Salem's ribs knocking back. As in the Kazuki sped behind him and with a his hands were in a claw formation and threw it towards Salem's back but he turned into snake and wrapped around Kazuki's hand than turned back while using the ninja's arm as a surface for a hand stand them threw a downward kick towards the ninja's head but he blocked with his other hand but the impact caused a dent in the arena ground.
Salem turned his hands into Zingore's claws again, making Kazuki's eyes widen and cursed himself and as Salem shocked him once again, but he put more power into it to paralyse the ninja. But the ninja fought through the pain and then disappeared into blue flames much to Salem's shock as he landed on his feet.
He felt another presence, but it was too late as a strong punch landed on his cheek courtesy of Kazuki, but the ninja wasn't done as he also landed a strong knee attack to Salem's stomach making the take-over mage breath out heavily than delivered a strong combo. The ninja got into a stance and covered his hands in blue fire which took the shape of foxes.
"First strike." He speeds to Salem and gives him a strong hit, sending him in the air and Salem felt his magic dwindle after the hit but didn't stop the attack and after him. "Second strike." He gave him another hit sending him to the ring, but Kazuki automatically appeared behind with his feet blazing. "Third strike." He was about to kick Salem's back hard but then spikes punched holes out of his shirt and began attacking Kazuki.
He gracefully dodged most of them but two were about to make contact then he swiftly took out his sword then performed a fire slash at destroying them. But he wasn't given the proper time to rest as he found himself trapped in a water prison. He saw Salem's appearance change once again as he had more serpent-like features.
Kazuki got into a stance as blue fire erupted from his back symbolically forming six tails behind him. Salem then surrounded himself in water and rocketed himself towards Kazuki who surrounded himself with fire and the two met in the middle and clashed making shockwaves. They clashed all around the arena and when they were about to clash again Salem requip his gun and shot a magic blast hitting Kazui's chest but blocked it with his sword though it sent him flying back.
"Hydro cannon!" Salem shot a huge blast of water from his mouth which Kazuki dodged and dashed towards Salem with a blazing orb in hand glowing bright.
When he was close, he thrust it towards the younger mage, but he had made himself more serpent like and twisted his body ways that shouldn't be possible and dodged the attack. The opening gave Salem the to shoot a jet stream of water towards Kazuki's stomach sending the sky and losing a handle on his attack and it flew towards the forest. When it hit the ground, it created a destructive blazing dome.
"Hydro Spears" Salem chanted as a large magic circle appeared on his hands and it shot multiple spears of water at high velocity.
"Kitsune's majestic fire ball!" Kazuki made a hand sign and shot a large blast of fire towards the water creating an explosion and blinding Salem's view of Kazuki in the sky. Suddenly eight of the ninjas flew down at the take-over age and surrounded him.
"I am really getting sick of being jumped!" Salem sighed in frustration as they all attacked him at once and when they got close enough, he made a geyser erupt beneath him, sending them all higher. At least that confirmed one thing the clones really aren't as powerful as the original. He then made his fingers into a gun gesture and began shooting at the clones with strong high speed velocity water guns from his fingers dispersing the clones.
He stuck his snake-like tongue out and dodged a flaming fist from the real Kazuki and shot water out of his feet to properly distance himself from the ninja. He wasn't going to let those blue flames touch him, adding that he had disadvantage in martial arts; it was best to keep his distance.
"Kitsune summoning: Flaming beasts!" Kazuki chanted and the air around them got intensely hot and he erupted in a big geyser of blue fire which then morphed into two big six-tailed foxes.
"Sea Leviathan!" A torrent of water surrounded Salem and then formed into a water-shaped sea serpent waiting for his command. "CHAR-…"
"Enough!" Ishida stopped the battle before it went too far.
"Father, are you sure?" Kazuki asked slightly, upset that his father stopped such a great match.
"My son looked around." Ishida said a deadpanned voice and the two combatants, so the fighting area was really messed up and some trees in the forest were also caught up in the aftermath of the battle. "I think his should be enough." The two then dispersed their attacks.
Chimwemwe changed back to normal. He remembered the point of the spar but still he was about to really turn things up and he could tell Kazuki was also about to bust out his best moves too. "So how did I do?"
"That was amazing Salem-san." Iroha complimented him.
"Yes, it seems like I want to have to worry about sending you on this mission with Kazuki." Ishida's hand then lit in blue fire and then Salem found himself lit on fire, but it was healing him.
"Wow thanks." Salem stretched a little. "So, it's just the two of us going. No a ninja squad or something?"
"Normally yes but a good amount of our forces are still injured, and a small number were killed and the remaining ones like Iroha are needed here to protect the village just in case something were to happen." Ishida explained.
"Okay I guess that makes sense." Salem stretched a bit. "By the way, you got a list of the monsters you want to hunted?"
Ishida then appeared in hand and tossed to Salem which he easily caught and opened. He saw the sketched pictures of three monsters he was required to hunt.
"Alright got it." He tossed the scroll back to the village leader. "Well, I'll see tomorrow than byeii~." He then turned into an owl and flew away leaving the three alone.
"Oh, looks like the little shapeshifter is stronger than I thought~." Inari appeared from out of nowhere.
"INARI-SAMA/Inari-sama!" The three exclaimed in surprise at her sudden visit from their goddess who sacuy smile and waved at them.
Elsewhere
In a dark room in the Eastern Temple
The ninja which fought Kagura was currently in a dark room tied in dark purple glowing chains and a talisman on his bare chest. His face was showing visible purple veins and was grunting in discomfort.
"It seems like I'm going to need a little more time before your body and soul are completely corrupted." The man said looking down at the shadow mage.
"Ryuzen-sama I'm sorry to intrude but it's ready." A crooked female voice called out to him.
"Hm alright I'll be with them soon. You're dismissed." He commanded and the cloaked woman left, and he turned to the shadow mage. "You won't be able to resist forever Kage." He then left the room.
In another room.
Ryuzen sat in his personal chambers which was a red black painted room which was decorated with luxurious designed filled high quality paintings. shortly after those two holograms projected by a lacrima appeared in front of his seat.
In the neon one was Eris, her pink hair was straight, wearing a black leather keyhole dress, red tinted glasses, and her black cap. She was sitting on a sofa with a wine glass hand.
The second one in red was a man in a green cloak with glowing purple eyes and a satanic looking symbol on the chest of his cloak. He sat on a stone throne.
"Eris-dono. Ravenholm-dono. It's nice to meet you both again." He greeted them both.
"Hello deary, I it that all the exchanges are in order, Ryuzen?" Eris asked and he simply nodded.
"Excellent, my guild will be at Tiyo soon with the beast to transport the demons of the East." The man informed him.
"My subordinate will be arriving to the country to deliver the Emerald Miracle for you and so you'll give her the items we agreed on." Eris informed.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you Eris-dono and Ravenholm."
"The pleasure is all mine darling but aren't you afraid this might cause tension with Yakuza and Midnight Lotus?" Eris raised her eyebrow amusingly as she was aware about the hierarchy of the dark trinity in Tiyo. What Ryuzen was planning would be an indication of an arms race and potential turf wars.
"Not really I have a plan for all of them." The dark trinity had a neutral agreement between each other. They didn't mess with each other's territories, their power dynamic was pretty much equal, but it was little obvious the Yakuza held more overall power and influence.
Their discussion came to an end and the two projections then disappeared leaving Ryuzen alone in the room and thinking of all the resources and potential manpower he will acquire.
Thanks to all the additional resources in his arsenal from somewhat strong immortal creatures, the Oni-youkai which will be provided by the Cerberus will boast his manpower. His four dark generals were incredibly strong but with the addition of the Emerald miracle and the addition of his new fifth he was confident that he would accomplish his goal of finally reclaiming his family's honour by retaking the crown but also to feel his contract with his master concerning the underworld.
Though there were obstacles, the biggest ones were the other members of the trinity, Yugen clan and Harumi Raiden. Then there is the unknown factor of the boy who could kill the monsters which Kage informed him about, and they confirmed when the ones they sent to oak town were slain and never traced again.
Even a few days ago he had sent twelve of his men to capture one of the creatures but only eleven came back and apparently, they ran into the same child. They reported that the young white-haired had transformed into a snake and bit the subordinate causing him to die a few minutes later after they battled him due to the strong venom.
He should take care of the problem before it goes too far, especially since the boy was working with Harumi.