[3rd POV]
The air was screaming as two titanic forces collided again and again with no regard to its domain. Tai Lung moved at a speed that should not be reached as his feline body bred to kill sliced through the air with deadly accuracy.
Samudragupta's gigantic body also moved with a swiftness that did not justify his size. His huge frame churned the atmosphere, causing a small hurricane to follow him whenever he moved. His body was encased in an orange aura with his veins glowing red as raw strength almost seemed to drip out of him.
These two powerhouses used the city of Shigatse as a playground. The mammoth razed the city to the ground while the feline used the buildings and tower to aid him in battle. The result was a disastrous calamity that would see the city fall to ruin.
The city was encased in a net made of iron which prevented all aerial creatures from flying away. It cast a shadow on the city that added to the despair of the citizens as they scattered like ants, afraid to be slaughtered.
With the army surrounding the city, it was basically a giant cage where no one could escape without the desired result.
Tai Lung's death.
"Tell me, Tai Lung, are you holding back?" Samudragupta asked with a ragged breathing. An orange aura was steaming off his body and he had cuts all over his body from which blood seeped out.
But those cuts were slowly healing. Normally, it would heal instantly but damage inflicted with chi took a longer time to heal.
"Are you really asking me that with multiple wounds marring your proud body?" Tai Lung asked with a raised eyebrow. His claws were so black that it looked like void and the blood of his opponent was slowly dripping off it.
His majestic white fur was also covered with some blood from wounds that had already healed but other than that, he had received nothing noteworthy from the fight.
The result of the clash was obvious. Tai Lung was the superior fighter.
But this was not a fight between two warriors, was it? It was something far less honourable.
It was war.
"Where are the blue flames you used to burn your own cities? Where is the insurmountable kung fu you used to wipe out thousands soldiers with one hand? Where is the rumoured pillar of energy you used to pierce through 13 mountains?" Samudragupta asked and smashed the ground.
*BOOM!!*
"Where is it!!!!"
From Samudragupta's frustration, one could tell that he had much information about Tai Lung and what he was capable of. That information was given to him by the general of Tibet after the two armies had met.
The general told Smudragupta such information to get him to be more cautious and also to make him excited to fight against Tai Lung.
But Smudragupta had not seen such power from Tai Lung. It was true that he was losing the fight but that was only because for now, Tai Lung had the advantage of the city where he could hide and bounce around to boost his already supreme agility.
But in an actual confrontation that shall take place on an open ground, he would undoubtedly win. At least that's what he believed.
"Don't tell me that fucking antelope was right!" Samudragupta said, referring to the Emperor of Tibet.
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Tai Lung was a good person. That was the bold claim of Songtsen Gampo, the Emperor of Tibet.
Of course, he was not considered as such in his homeland China because that was the land of saints. But compared to the other empires and kings like Samudragupta and Songtsen Gampo, Tai Lung was soft and kind.
Songtsen believed that this was a direct result of practicing kung fu. Through years of studying and his own intelligence, Songtsen came to this conclusion.
Kung Fu was not just a form of violence or a collection of fighting techniques, Kung itself was a way of life. Masters dedicated thier whole life to this art, they lived by thier kung fu and died with it.
And where does kung fu originate from again? Kung Fu originated from a pacifist old tortoise who created other ridiculous things such as the codes of war.
Songtsen could not wrap his head around how stupid the Codes of War were. He believed that everything was fair in this world, especially in a war. You do everything in your power to win. Restricting yourself for the sake of others and honour was beyod ridiculous to him.
He did not hesitate even for a moment when he came to the decision of sacrificing the city of Shigatse and its people. He was their rightful ruler and it was for the greater good. The value of a one's life was directly reflected by thier ability and utility.
But someone who practised kung fu would never do such things. They would likely sacrifice themselves before doing such things.
The funny turth he came across in China was how much civilian lives were valued and how the innocents were protected.
Who cares if people are innocent? Who cares if they never made the choice to involve themselves in a war? If their death proved to be useful for the Empire, Songtsen would use them.
That was how the rest of the world thinks. It was the law of the jungle, the strong rule and the weak obey. China was the only place where the strong protected the weak.
The reason why China was like this could be traced directly back to Oogway and his teachings. That was how much influence the tortoise had, he changed the entire culture of China in the span of a thousand years.
Songtsen knew this and he also utilized it. Other than the fact that the civilians could be useful manpower for the war, the reason he let them be trapped in the city was to prevent Tai Lung from using a reckless move that could potentially wipe out all of the army and destroy their plan.
The presence of innocent civilians was preventing Tai Lung's true destructive strength. Just like he expected. One thing he never heard of in Tai Lung's tale, even when he was considered an evil villain, was how he took the lives of innocent.
Even when he burned down a city, even when he fought huge battles, Tai Lung not only spared the innocents but seemed to go out of his way to save them.
Such was the nature of Kung Fu and such was the character of a cub raised by Shifu himself. Even at his worst, he never stooped so low as to slaughter innocents.
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"I guess it was true." Samudragupta said with a huff.
The mammoth picked up a huge rock from the ground and threw it at a couple of civilians who were running away from the battlefield. It was an injured deer and his friend leopard. Since one of them was injured and the other refused to leave his friend behind, they were evacuating in a slow manner.
Tai Lung disappeared from his place and broke the rock into pieces before it reached its target.
"Pathetic." Samudragupta remarked.
Tai Lung heard that even from a long distance away and he couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Hahahaha." Then he started laughing and even wiped tears away from his eyes.
"Pathetic huh? Do you think I am as nice as my fellow masters who would go out of thier way to save the innocents?" Tai Lung asked with a face of amusement.
"What you see is merely the privilege of the strong. I can spare the innocents if I want to and it won't matter because I have and will beat every enemy in front of me regardless." Tai Lung clarified.
After all, to be kind and to be good was the privilege of the strong. He made this clear to when he confronted Master Rhino.
"Why are you trying to make excuses to yourself oh mighty king of the greatest empire?" Tai Lung mocked, "The reason why I am not going all out is obvious."
"You are weak after all."
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*BOOOOOOOM!!!*
The earth thundered and the world experienced an artificial earthquake as Samudragupta launched himself towards Tai Lung in a sheer moment of rage.
How dare he?
In his long life, no one has ever called him weak.
Tai Lung had a casual smirk on his face while watching a literal manifestation of strength charged at him. When Samudragupta was in the right distance, Tai Lung finally made a move.
He stomped on the ground and he sent his chi into the earth. A seismic wave spread through the surroundings.
And then the ground on which Smudragupta was running and crushing with his weight rose up instantly.
'Earthbending.'
The portion of the ground rose up like a gigantic pillar until it almost reached the net of the city. Smudragupta was also elevated up and was forced to stop his mad rush. Then the earth pillar sank back down at a rapid speed.
Smudragupta's leg was firmly swallowed by the earth so he was brought down along with the pillar.
*BOOOM!!!*
Samudragupta was slammed onto the ground as the earth swallowed him. The ground was powered by Tai Lung's chi and along with being caught by surprised, Samudragupta had no time to react and was supressed for a moment.
When the dust settled and Samudragupta opened his eyes, he saw a bright blue ball of light in the sky, The ball was made of pure energy and it was swirling around as if it held revolving galaxies inside.
It looked like a second sun in the sky.
Tai Lung smirked as he looked at the mammoth trapped in the earth below. He had leapt high into the air and the world slowed down as he focused on the Rasengan in his hand which was nearly half his size.
This should get the job done, he thought to himself and then he descended to the ground
Samudragupta was helpless as the full power of a Rasengan was slammed onto his body. It was not just one hit either as Tai Lung kept slamming down the ball of energy like a drill.
He was unable to handle the technique which had slain gods so for the first time since he could remember, he released a long trail of pained screams.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
The ground beneath broke apart. A wave of pure destructive force ripped the earth and the world rumbled. The explosion continued as if the world had layers. A crack of disaster spread multiple times as the city bore a huge gaping crater at its centre.
*BOOOOOOOM!!*
The earth was crushed. The air was punctured.
And the rest ripped apart.
A bright glow of blue light blinded everyone for a moment. And the world was silenced to host the scream of a king.
A king who henceforth, would never mistake overwhelming strength for weakness.
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[IMAGE]
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Author : Can I get a stone? At least for today please.
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