"OUSU!"
"UHN? What did i just say... Wait." He says as he notices the cream like mat in front of him. "Why am I bowing?"
"KOOM..."
A Shoji shuts close.
"WELCOME TO THE DOJO... OUSU!" THE GOD OF MARTIAL ARTS says from a high platform across SAGE.
He jumps down and lands 10 FRIS away from SAGE. Wearing a black judogi and a golden belt.
"Raise your head SAGE". He commands.
SAGE who had been trying to raise his body out of the deep bow posture taken before a judo fight begins, suddenly stood straight.
He knew once that this wasn't THE GOD OF MARTIAL ARTS PASSIVE AT WORK, but what then will make him this vulnerable within THE DOJO.
After all, his own PASSIVE was supposed to have kicked in and protected him a long time ago. Especially when he was still within RINGS OF MEDITATION.
What exactly could be making him this vulnerable to MART? He thought to himself as he looked at MART directly into his glowing face.
"SAGE!" MART calls out, with his chest out. "What are you doing back in my REALM?".
"What do you mean by that. I should be asking you what the..."
"BOW!"
"I'm the one asking the questions here. Answer me directly SAGE!" He cuts SAGE short, forcing him into an even deeper bow.
"What's going on here?" SAGE questions his current situation.
~{DAMN.
THIS IS JUST LIKE INTERROGATION ROOM.
I CAN'T BELIEVE HE COULD ACTUALLY CONTROL SAGE'S EVERY ACTION.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE PO...}~
"Should'nt be possible?" MART completes his words.
~{GASP}~
"Why are you shocked? You think I don't know when a failure steps into his masters house? You always tag along with SAGE, only a fool wouldn't know you are in their REALM"
~{OKAY.
THAT WAS SCARY.
PLEASE DON'T DO THAT AGAIN.
THANKS.
YOU CAN'T INTERRUPT THE STORY MART}~
"And you can't interrupt my punishment to this failure". He replied.
SAGE who was still bowing, was lost in thoughts as to why his PASSIVE. wasn't doing anything to protect him.
"Why can't I break free?" He asks himself in disbelief.
"SAGE!" MART calls out for the second time. "I'll ask you again. Why are you in my REALM?"
Still bowing, he replies. "Why weren't you at THE HALL OF GODS. I believe that should ans..."
"DOOM".
He lands on his knees, with his face to the ground in a perfect posture of apology. A perfect Sekerei.
~{THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE
I SAID TO MYSELF}~
"You're lucky you don't have an actual form of any kind I can punish. GOD OF EAVESDROPPING".
~{HEY...
NOT FUNNY.
NOBODY CALLS ME THAT BUT WIS}~
"SAGE!" He calls out for the third time, completely ignoring THE GOD OF... "Why are you in my REALM?"
SAGE whose head was now buried, replies angrily. "I just answered you, you crazy fighting junkie".
"RISE". He commands, looking down at SAGE in disgust.
SAGE immediately stands.
"Take your fighting stance".
"I said, take your fighting stance!"
SAGE'S GOD FORM remained under the control of MART. He takes a fighting stance and...
"DOOM".
MART had pinned him to the ground, using movements that looked exactly like the meditation postures from RINGS OF MEDITATION.
SAGE was enraged even more, as he was flung to the mat and pinned with the exact meditation posture that had killed him at the start of his twentieth ring.
"Why are you doing this to me?" He asks MART as his body forcefully stands, taking a fighting stance again.
"DOOM".
A kick to his head from MARTS heel sent him off his feet and falling to his right. MART stops his fall with his right foot on SAGE'S head, lifting SAGE back up.
He twists his body and sweeps SAGE off his feet with his left leg, tossing SAGE into the air. MART locks SAGE'S right hand between his legs and...
"DOOM".
They were on the mat again with SAGE underneath MART'S legs and his right hand locked.
"Why are you doing this to me... No, why did you send me RINGS OF MEDITATION, when you weren't even there? Are you killing me for fun?"
"You're good. To be able to talk while in this lock, not bad. Why, you ask. Do you really not know why? Do you really not know why I didn't show up to THE HALL OF GODS? Answer me SAGE, do you or do you not know why?" MART. replies, tightening the lock on SAGE'S right hand, making him uncomfortable.
"How... Should I... Know?" SAGE answers with difficulty, due to the pain he was feeling. A pain caused by THE GOD OF MARTIAL ARTS PASSIVE, which made every attack he makes feel like the weight of his REALM hitting his opponent.
"HEAVY ARTS".
One of the very few PASSIVES that mainly envelopes the body of the god in stead of completely spreading over it's range, which is normally capable of affecting whatever steps into it.
~{SHOULD I EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE?
IT'S SIMPLE THOUGH, BUT.
HEAVY ARTS IS THE PASSIVE OF THE GOD OF MARTIAL ARTS.
A PASSIVE WHICH ACTS WEIRDLY.
WHOEVER IS WITHIN THE RANGE OF THE PASSIVE, FEELS THE WEIGHT OF HIS WHOLE REALM, INCLUDING MART HIMSELF.
BUT WHERE IT BECOMES MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IS IN CLOSE RANGE BRAWLS.
IT GIVES EVERY SINGLE ATTACK MART MAKES THE WEIGHT OF HIS REALM.
A KICK WILL FEEL LIKE A LOG AS HEAVY AS A GOD REALM HITTING YOU.
EVEN A FINGER FLICK TO THE HEAD WILL HAVE THAT SAME WEIGHT BEHIND IT.
THE EXTERNAL PART OF THE PASSIVE WASN'T WORKING ON SAGE, BECAUSE SAGE HAD ALREADY GOTTEN THE MESSAGE BEHIND IT, BUT THE CLOSE RANGE AND ACTUAL FORM OF THE PASSIVE WAS STILL AFFECTING HIM, JUST LIKE EVERY COMMAND MART HAD GIVEN SAGE.
ALL BECAUSE SAGE HAS YET TO GET THE MESSAGE BEHIND WHY HE IS A SUBJECT TO DIRECT PUNISHMENT BY THE GOD OF MARTIAL ARTS}~
After multiple spars, all ending in SAGE'S back to the mat.
MART who was now standing above SAGE, who laid on his back with his hands and legs stretched out as he faced up.
"SAGE". MART calls him fir the fourth and last time, with a much more calmer tone. "Have you ever been killed by your own ability?"
Immediately, SAGE realised what was going on. The pieces of the puzzle all came together. Everything now made sense.
The reason why the ability •MASTER'S COMMAND• kept on working on him.
He covers his face in disbelief.
"Sorry".