The crowd's uproar filled the air with an electrifying energy. Kei took deep breaths, eyes fixed on the fighting ring—a bowl suspended with thick chains over a precipice. One wrong move could mean a deadly fall. The nonchalant attitudes of the spectators only deepened Kei's disdain for their customs. He meticulously observed everything, noting his recent progress in the adamantine kata, which now allowed him to enter and exit the stance more fluidly. However, attacking and moving in it still presented challenges, with muscle cramps being a significant enemy.
His control over muscle groups had improved, thanks to the super master Niko's training, which had advanced his physical capabilities three to tenfold. His mastery of the four classic attributes—water and fire katas—was steadily improving, especially the lower body training essential for the fire kata. For now, he excelled in redirection and adamantine techniques.
Shouts turned into whispers, then back to loud cries as a man with a unibrow and a rotten smile approached him.
-Your turn, kid, –the man said, causing a slight discomfort in Kei, who followed him over a wooden bridge.
Torches illuminated his opponent—a young blond with two blue lines under his right eye, glowing like fluorescent marks.
-We present the terror of the arena!! In a one-on-one fight, with no rules, no time limit, and only the prestige of fighting for another day of life, –announced the presenter, his voice booming from the loudspeakers. Niko clapped not far away.
-A fight where only the last one standing wins! The commander of the arena, with 30 matches and 0 defeats, versus a new challenger with fiery hair, a disciple of Niko Tokita, in the handling of the Niko style. This promises to be an undeniable fight, –the interviewer continued. Some in the shadows recognized the Niko style, though it wasn't particularly renowned.
The boy facing Kei assumed a Kung Fu stance, specifically the snake style—designed for dirty fighting, targeting weak spots with pinches, strikes, and bites, a nightmare for any grappler.
Kei adopted a tiger-style stance, feeling the weights on his arms. Using the redirection kata, he charged his body. His opponent's arms moved like a blur, and Kei responded with a quick punch that hit the nose. The boy relaxed his body, slipping through Kei's defense, and aimed a strike at Kei's eyes. Kei dodged with his reflexes, taking a hit to the cheek but countering with rapid, straight boxing punches that flew without form.
The unexpected boxing technique stunned his opponent.
A great hit by Kei Kazama! Showing signs of boxing and Chinese Kung Fu! –shouted the presenter. –Meanwhile, our commander consistently employs the snake style, his punch as elusive as ever.
-Calm down, –Kei thought, urging his sei ki while extending his body into a stance, tapping into the principles of seikuken. It was a crude technique but effective in its primal form. Niko smiled, pleased with his disciple's prudent choice to counter the snake style, breaking the rhythm of the enemy's strikes.
The principle of reflex action was a core aspect of Sei Ki.
-Great advance by the commander!!
Kei's battle continued with fierce intensity. His opponent's blows were relentless, but Kei countered with swift punches, his muscles burning under the strain of his weighted training. The commander grinned as Kei struggled to maintain his composure. The precariousness of the cliff edge heightened Kei's focus; one misstep could mean his end.
A sudden punch to his shoulder, precisely where an old bullet wound was, destabilized Kei. He moved instinctively, blending the water kata and redirection techniques to strike his opponent's chin. The hit caused the commander to stagger back, giving Kei a precious moment to move away from the edge. He adopted the frog stance, crouching low, and launched himself with short, powerful hops, aiming punches at his opponent's face.
The commander blocked with crossed arms, but Kei seized his chance, gripping his opponent's arms with the tiger's bite technique. However, a swift, painful blow to Kei's groin forced him to release and spin away to avoid further damage.
-Shit, - Kei muttered, feeling the searing pain in his shoulder and the dizziness setting in. Was this the end? His strength was waning, and the weighted bands on his arms felt like lead. His adamantine kata, aimed at reinforcing his bones, had failed, leaving one arm useless. He used it defensively, letting the weight act as a pendulum.
-I won't lose to anyone! - Kei's determination flared.
His opponent laughed, but Kei pushed the fear to the back of his mind, calming his spirit with seikuken. He danced around his opponent's attacks, an epiphany dawning on him as he internalized the rhythm of the fight. With a sudden, decisive move, he headbutted his opponent with all his weight, following up by grappling with his legs and delivering a powerful blow with his good arm. Despite his opponent's desperate attempt to retaliate by digging a finger into Kei's shoulder, Kei's punch landed squarely on his opponent's nose, breaking it and knocking him out.
Kei stood breathing heavily, victorious. Niko watched with a contemplative expression, recognizing Kei's potential despite his injuries and the grueling path ahead.
-The winner is Kei Kazama! - the announcer declared, as cheers erupted from some of the onlookers.
***
Later, Kei washed the blood from his face while Niko stitched up his reopened wound. Nearby, Ohma lay bruised and battered, looking like a Dalmatian with all his spots.
-You're getting better, - Niko said. - We have another fight in five days, and then another five days after that. There's no time for proper recovery, so you need to keep pushing forward. I found a place with good insects for protein. -
It doesn't sound too appealing, Master. I hate eating insects, - Kei replied.
-You need better protein, and worms have plenty to sustain you. Besides, we need to refine your grappling techniques. You'll focus on the fire kata and water kata, your two weak points. You understand the other katas exceptionally well, - Niko explained.
Kei nodded, contemplating how to combine his grappling with the iron-breaking techniques, reminiscent of Koga's iron-breaking crunch.
That night, they slept on a rooftop, huddled under a small waterproof cover to shield themselves from the rain. The conditions were harsh, but they endured, driven by their determination to improve.