Chereads / More than a Dragon Warrior / Chapter 12 - Goodbye, young warrior

Chapter 12 - Goodbye, young warrior

[Tai Lung's POV]

My fist connected with the side of his head and he staggered. He put one hand down to gain balance.

'That's it?' I thought to myself as his hide was able to perfectly absorb the impact ofy punch.

I thought that surely pop his head.

He was strong. He was so ridiculously strong that it was concerning.

I wonder if my counterpart in the movie ever ran into him. Or was he able to avoid this confrontstion since he ran non-stop towards the Valley of Peace?

My thoughts were cut off as a shadow loomed over me. Wubao had leaped back and his body was falling towards me.

That was the weight of an imperial ton falling towards me. No doubt I would be crushed by it if he were to fall on me.

So I moved to the side. His huge body fell on the ground, shaking the Earth with his sheer weight. 

I tried to take advantage of his position and leapt at him, claws extended but he waved his mighty axe and that prompted me to take a step back.

Then in a show of elegance and finesse contradicting his gigantic size, he stood up. He took up both of his weapons and let them clash with a spark.

*RWOOOOOOR!!!*

He let out a mighty roar and I blasted towards him. He was too goddamn loud.

I weaved through his heavy, yet slow attacks and punched his jaw. Then I pivoted on my feet to deliver a Chi-infused kick on his chin.

A shockwave of air and Chi exploded out, deafening the ear.

That was enough to finally send his body flying in the air. His huge body made a hurricane in the atmosphere due to his sheer mass alone.

Grizzly bears were known to be able to put on huge mass before they went into hibernation. The grizzly clan masters had found a technique that takes advantage of this ability to build huge muscle all throughout the year.

There was no need for hibernation. So the ability they gained to survive at first was used to turn themselves into a living tank basically. 

It was a technique passed down from generation to generation.

I leaped into the air and appeared above him. With a deep roar, I kicked him down as my chi exploded out to create shockwaves that broke the atmosphere.

His body shot down to the ground like a falling star.

*BOOOOOM!!!*

I might not be able to overpower him physically but I knew how to infuse my attacks with Chi. That multiplied my power beyond what I was capable of.

His body crashed and the ground caved in. He made a 10-meter radius in his fall. I shot down from the sky and delivered a hammer kick right on his armour, effectively breaking it.

When his bare torso was finally revealed to me, I let out a wicked grin, Then with my fingers I hit his never points.

*BO!*

*BO!*

*BO!*

I stood on his fallen body as my yellow eyes peered down at him.

"This is the end. You were strong, probably even stronger than Master Rhino." I said, "But you fall short when it comes to me."

 

He lay there, nestled in the cracks of the ground and remained unmoving. I scoffed when I saw his white eyes and steaming nose.

How pathetic. 

All that talk, all that hatred, all that rage, only to be stopped just like this. 

His current situation reminded me of a familiar scene which was my possible future. I felt disgust in my throat so I spit on the ground and walked away.

I grabbed my wrist and moved it around. Even though I was the one who hit him, it hurts.

Stone hide. That was what Lishou called his impenetrable skin. Well, as impenetrable as a flesh could be.

His son seemed to have the same thing except even stronger. Hitting him felt like hitting metal.

Iron hide?

Yeah, should probably change the name Stone Hide to Iron Hide.

..

..

The sound of a mountain standing up made me halt. I took no more steps as I focused on the presence behind me.

Hot.

My back felt hot. It felt like there was a raging fire behind me.

Mountain and fire.

A volcano.

I looked back to see Wubao. His muscles contracted and squirmed under his thick hide. His body was bared of his armour as steam came out from every pore of his skin.

I observed him with my yellow eyes, trying to discern what technique was used in front of me. Yet even after a few seconds, nothing came up.

I was not aware of such a technique. It seemed to be an advanced technique of their Beserker Kung Fu but I was not sure.

How interesting. I thought I had learned every technique under the sun, but I guess it was inevitable that some new techniques were developed during my imprisonment. 

A jolt of excitement passed through my body because of such thought.

I continued watching him, trying to figure out exactly what was happening in front of me instead of trying to recognize it.

The air around him flickered and curved, like the trembling air near a fire. His body seemed to be going into overheat as his white eyes shone brighter and brighter.

He stood there, unmovable, as his body entered a new form. The aura and heat grew intense and a red aura surrounded him, shaking the air.

Two sets of memories worked like a machine to find out what was going on. Then it clicked in my mind.

"You are burning your body. Burning your lifespan." I said, maybe Chi as well but I wouldn't know cause I can't see it.

"But how did you do it?" I asked but the bear was in berserk mode. His mind was too lost to answer me so I made my own conclusion.

A way to burn the calories or the fats and muscles in your body rapidly in exchange for a sudden increase in strength. He was burning his future for a sudden increase of strength in the present.

The red aura around him was evaporated blood that steamed out of his pores. After all, sudden increases in energy was bound to produce searing heat.

He was overheating

Might Guy's 8th gates and Luffy's 2nd gear come to mind. 

But who the fuck was this bear in front of me? To hold such power and never be mentioned in the movies. I guess the world was vaster than what the movies show.

For the first time in our fight, I took a stance. 

*kuuuuu~!* He sucked in huge amounts of air that it made a mini vortex in his mouth. 

And then.

*RRRRRWWWWWOOOOOOOORRRRR!!!!!!*

The ground vibrated as the dust was cleared by the shockwave. He did not use any wing technique there, it was just pure vibration.

Raw strength.

The mighty bear got on all four, and...blurred.

!!!! 

*BOOOOM!!*

The world spun around as I felt gravity abandon me. My vision saw nothing but a blur of colours as I flew across the atmosphere.

I spread out my limbs and used my tail to stop myself from spinning. The numbing pain on my forearm was proof that I was hit but also managed to block it.

My eyes, designed to lock on prey kilometres away, found my opponent. 

A behemoth like him was not supposed to move as fast as he did, the world know it, the universe knows it. The air screamed and the world resisted, trying to chain him down.

But they failed!!

*BOOM!!*

Each of his steps was an earthquake as I was swung across the city again. I was not allowed to even crash on the ground.

My hands numbed. 

My body shot through houses, destroying them but they were made of brittle wood and paper. They did not hurt me but simply helped me slow down.

My claws left a trail on the ground as I slide into a stop. Then I enhanced my body with Chi and shot forward, my body became a little bit brighter.

*BOOOM!!* 

We met and the buildings collapsed. The earth caved in as we pushed each other. 

I was weaker. But I held experience and skill over him.

Then we exchanged blows. The magnificent city became our battlefield as we reduced it to a rubble. 

The air around him was almost solid, making it hard to even get close to him. His body was so hot that my fist burned when I hit him.

We blurred and fought in different parts of the city. He was destructive and I was lethal. I dodged his mindless attacks and fought back with everything I got.

I used weapons, knives and furniture. He was hurt, he was cut but he never stopped. He was relentless, like a volcano.

My claws tore his hide but no blood came out. His muscles were so tight and packed that they immediately blocked any wounds and avoid bleeding out.

At one point, I started laughing madly.

I was fighting the future. He was stronger, and faster so I had to predict his moves and act beforehand. I was already dodging his punches before he even took action.

Such was the level of the fight.

It was a disappearing sight for the citizens. It was not even a fight for them anymore but a calamity. Wubao had long forgotten friend from foe.

The air screamed and the land was moulded to the image of our battle. It was violent and vicious. 

Words wouldn't be able to describe the impossible scene of our fight. It was the pinnacle of strength. One I have attained through years of training and one Wubao attained by sacrificing his future.

Houses were split apart, towers were felled and we collapsed temples.

It was baffling and frightening how much power one being could posses in this world. It felt exhilarating, especially the human side of me was high on the battle.

The Mighty Grizzly was strong. It was not my hardest battle but he was by far, the strongest enemy I have faced in my life.

But volcanoes do not erupt forever. Soon, the fight came close to an end. The symphony of battle reached its final verse.

The mighty bear connected his hands to form a single fist and he swung it down like a hammer. I put up both my arms as I blocked the attack.

It was powerful, it felt like the moon had fallen on me. My arms ached and my instincts screamed my death. 

Yet my heart was at peace.

I have inner peace.

*BOOOOOM!!!*

The full weight of the attack was transferred on the ground as it opened up to beg for mercy. The ground was demolished and forever traumatized.

He was stronger and more powerful. But power meant nothing when there was no clear mind to direct it.

The biggest flaw of this technique was that he lost his mind in the process. His brain likely is unable to even form thoughts as it was busy managing the overworked body.

Meanwhile, I was the epitome of calme and intelligence. I utilized all of the techniques I had mastered during my two lifetimes.

I was sure not even Oogway could be able to compete with me with the sheer knowledge of technique I had.

I was a technique God.

I kicked him right at his solar plexus and a white Chi erupted at the point of contact. He slides two metres away from me.

He paused. He no longer charged at me.

His body was visibly thinner than before and he looked exhausted. But it was still bloated so he retained most of his size.

The aura around him was not as intense anymore and his steps had lost its earthquake.  

"So that's it." I said and wiped the blood from my mouth. "That's your limit."

He breathe in and out heavily for a few seconds before he growled. Then the aura around him intensified. 

He exploded out as the air around him trembled. This seemed to be his final fight. His last struggle before death.

"Wubao. I will remember your name." I said, "But I am no longer interested in prolonging this fight."

I have sustained quite an injury, mostly muscle tears and my Chi was running out. I need to end this quickly. 

The bear seemed angry at my words. He stepped on the ground, causing a tremor. Then he sucked in a huge breath.

*RRRWWWWWOOOOO- BOOM!!*

The ground cracked as I shot forward and crashed right onto his chest. Then I pushed in the whole length of my arm inside his opening mouth. 

His roar got pushed down his throat and my claws grabbed the soft flesh of his throat. I grabbed it in such a way that he wouldn't be able to bite down on my arm.

His hide was too thick and his muscles contracted so blood could not seep out of him. So I did the next best thing and attacked his soft part.

His internals. The one unprotected by the Iron Hide.

There was more than one way to slay a beast. The main difference between me and other masters was that while they trained in Kung Fu, I trained in the art of war.

Battle tactics, war strategies, army sabatoge, ways kill different beasts, ways to destroy cities, etc.

I have learned them all.

He hit me on my back and I felt some bones dislocate but I persisted. I tore the side of his throat with my claw and blood started spilling out.

He slammed me on the ground and I let out a pained roar. But I never let go.

He struggled fiercely like a dying animal and smashed the ground around him. But as the seconds ticked, his actions became weaker and weaker.

His violent tantrum slowly turned into a weak protest.

As I drowned him in his own blood.

.

.

"Goodbye, young warrior."

"You died at the hands of Tai Lung. You were honourable" I whispered in his ear.

And he stills.

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Author : Chi attacks were used in the battle between Master Shifu and Tai Lung. Then Tigress used a chi infused kick against Kai.

Mastering Chi is about affecting the outside world with your own Chi so most masters are able to use Chi to strengthen their bodies or infuse it in their attacks.

Kai was able to cut and throw around mountains so the powers scale of Kung Fu Panda is quite high at the top.

Though I stated that the city was built of paper and wood so Tai Lung is actually still not city level.

Thank you for reading