They Say Dragons Never Truly Die(Kenichi/Vanyel)

His homeland had finally earned the tranquil peace it deserved. There was no longer the fear of war or destruction. Japan was free to enjoy an era of peace, a period by which they could continue to develop and evolve and even prepare themselves in times of conflict. He was a generous man.

A man with a heart of gold, a martial warrior who would offer his heart to this country's inhabitants and it's people. It was his home, after all. No matter how many lessons or studies he received in China, the Soul of Yamato would always burn within him and he would never forget his roots even at the end of his life.

One of his efforts to assist his homeland was a local tournament he used to find those who shared a mutual interest in martial arts, who wished to be able to defend themselves and even find a place to simply fit in and experience the fighting styles between fellow and heartfelt rivals. It was a fine display of martial prowess and the man who orchestrated this tournament could be no one other than the relentless dragon - Kenichi Murata.

Sitting within a large chair, a wide grin would dominate the man's features as he spectated the battles with his eyes, containing his excitement as he indulged in a large feast, befitting his appetite alone. O, how he wished to leap into the arena, to face these fine warriors in a brilliant display of combat. At his right and left side were two females who served as both his judges, his proteges, and the women providing him with a meal. Beautiful women feeding him fine cuisine. What else was there to be desired?

Within the arena, there was a referee to ensure that no foul play would be allowed in this tournament. To keep Kenichi updated on the participants, there was an announcer who would call their names and announce their names to keep track of every single one of them'.

To be certain, there was a significant itch that burned within this young man's spirit. He wished to test his mettle, to face someone who aimed to defeat him and receive the prize money granted to the victor of the tournament. Money always seemed to be enough of a motivation for anyone to join a tournament but the true test was in seeing who was willing to take a pummeling and reach him as their final obstacle. A true test, indeed...

Tournaments usually weren't his thing. Vanyel wasn't really the type of person to show off or try to make a name for himself. To learn, practice, and grow as a martial artist and person, was enough for him. Sure, it might lead to a rather simple life, but that wasn't a bad thing, in his eyes. But, there was no denying that he was still a fighter at heart, he still secretly enjoyed the thrill and adrenaline that came from a fight.

Perhaps that was why he found himself seeking out the tournament, as well as the desire to shake off the rust that had been gathering for so long. Maybe a fight would get him out of the rut of sorts that he found himself in, quicken his pulse and make his blood rage with the fire that he admittedly had forgotten. So, gathering his things, he pulled his jacket and gloves on, heading off to the tournament.

The person who was hosting it all had spared no manner of advertising campaign, Vanyel could see posters everywhere throughout the streets of Japan. This guy really held a passion for this, and wanted to make sure that it got out there. If nothing else, Vanyel could respect that. Arriving a bit later than he intended, Vanyel went through the entryway, annoyed that he was stopped and had to give his weapons away. It made sense, but it was nevertheless still irritating as he complied.

He was ushered to a small, locker room-esque area where other combatants were preparing and waiting for their calls to the arena. He heard a few comments toward his attire, one in particular making a snide remark about him "trying to play yakuza". He didn't say anything, instead choosing to continue practicing his own routines. He'd get his chance to kick their asses in the tournament itself.

A woman of average height would enter the locker room after the combatants had properly dressed themselves in fighting gear, going through a list of the names of participants. This process was a typical procedure to ensure that those who entered were still present and hadn't caught cold feet before their match. Gazing at the participants, she would announce the names from the clipboard verbatim.

"Shenghuo. Akemichi. Hao. Keichi. Takeda. Omaeda. And lastly, Vanyel. All of you please make your way to the arena."

When she finished speaking, the guards standing at the entryway leading to the Arena would step to the side, allowing them to make their way through to the a booming crowd. An audience filled with thousands who were eager to this year's participants. Kenichi as well as those who supported him in the founding of the tournament did their best to advertise and present this event to those who even if they held no desire to see a conflict like the past world wars, they could watch an event where warriors displayed their respective talents and skills.

The participants would make their way to the stage. From Kenichi's point of view, this year's participants looked as interesting as the last year's competitors. Taking a small bite of meat from his bun, he would be presented with a microphone and held his hand up towards the two females tending to his every need, a momentary pause on his pampering to set the atmosphere for the tournament. Swinging the microphone around in a dazzling fashion, Kenichi begins to speak, directing his gaze towards the crowd.

"What a fine crowd this is! Let me say that it is an honor to stand before my fellow citizens in this setting I've created. Though we have all surely witnessed battles of the supernatural, there is still a profound beauty in not in developing both the mind and the body. Discipline that forces one to come face to face with themselves, to question their spirit, to go beyond the threshold and stand at the top of that mountain - to roar, exulted by your success!"

Leaping from his chair, Kenichi would perform an aerial somersault, landing before the group of contestants.

"Do you any of you have what it takes to put your skills on display for this audience? To go through the obstacles and meet me at the summit? To defeat the Relentless Dragon? Doubtful, but I'll allow you kids to have your fun~! With that, it's time to begin. First match is Vanyel versus Shenghuo~!!! Let the games begin!" A boisterous grin would form in his face as he gazed at the men before him, tilting his head as he glanced in Vanyel's direction.

In much the same fashion that he had leaped from his chair, he would leap towards it in a graceful display, twisting his body through the air so that he could land neatly without disturbing the lovely pair of woman at his side. When he returned, they resumed his pampering, feeding him a bountiful amount of food as they resume singing his praises.

Despite his general lack of interest in tournaments and competition, Vanyel felt a tingle of excitement crawling up his spine as the seconds went by. His attention flicked up to the woman entering, seeing her making notes on the clipboard, and hearing other contestant names being called, before finally landing at him. Standing up and following the others, he was led out into the arena, surrounding by a loud, cheering crowd.

Either there were some notable people that the crowd was here to see, or they were just itching for a fight that badly. Slipping his hands into his pockets, Vanyel wasn't too much of a crowd pleaser. It felt weird to be in front of so many people, watching him fight. If he were being honest, it made him a little anxious. But, as the host started speaking, Vanyel turned to look up at where he was sitting. Food in his belly, with girls tending to his every whim.

He raised an eyebrow in suspicion at the subtle mention of him being the final challenge. He certainly was eating up the role as announcer and MC, so the guy was a pretty natural showman. Even with how young he looked, the idea of him being the final combatant sparked some intrigue in Vanyel. Should he be able to reach the top and get the chance to face off against the Master of Ceremonies, maybe he'd prove to be a challenge after all.

His attention turned back to the arena as his name was called, the first match going to him and another person named Shenghuo. Stretching and rolling his shoulders, Vanyel walked to his side of the arena, sliding gradually into a basic medium-high Taijiquan stance, his expression having turned serious as he waited for the call to start.

"With that, let the first match begin!"

Shenghuo, a man standing at six feet, would turn to Vanyel as the other contestants settled into the role of spectators, the crowding cheering the two contestants on. Running a hand through his black locks of hair, the man would take a deep breathe as settled into a stance reminiscent of Muay Thai. His expression was firm as he gazed at the the male, sizing him up as he slowly stepped into his space, kicking off with his left foot to soar towards him and execute a swift and merciless kick towards his chest. If he aimed to dodge, he would quickly take a few steps backward to strike again... or would he dodge and counter?

As his opponent stepped forward, entering a stance that Vanyel vaguely recognized, Muay Thai. While he had no experience with the martial art, he had hazy memory of what it entailed. A little concerned, Vanyel took a deep breath in, calming himself and clearing his mind as his left foot arched slightly. As the man kicked off the ground and soared to him, Vanyel shifted his stance, easing himself to the side as he reached for the man's foot and firmly forced it to the side.

Immediately after, he changed his stance again, lashing out violently with a powerful, swift strike to the man's stomach with his free hand. Even as the man struck again, Vanyel swiftly changed to go on the offensive. Instead of regular Tai Chi, his footwork was similar to the Forward Stance of Shaolin Kung-Fu. His movements continued to generate momentum as he went into a flurry of high punches and low kicks, with the occasional "middle ground" strikes to the midsection.

( https://youtu.be/Xfl62rNQXzs )


Shenghuo did not expect for Vanyel to go on the offensive so soon. His kick was turned against him and Vanyel took the opportunity to make him pay for his decision by shifting into another stance as he executed a fierce and powerful strike towards his stomach causing him to stumble back.

Shenghuo shifted a few steps backward as he brought his knee upward as a means of shielding himself from the flurry of strikes - to keep Vanyel from landing any other strikes against him, in the hope that he would be able to regain his footing and turn the tide of battle in his favor.

He would charge in against this time as he swiftly launched his right foot forward towards Vanyel's face - to execute a fierce push kick to the face. If that proved fruitless, he would charge in yet again, launching his left foot towards his chest before pushing his body ever closer, aiming his left elbow at the dragon of Kyushu's head.

The crowd stared on in awe, cheering the two men on while the other contestants studied the movements of Vanyel and his opponent, wondering who would emerge victorious.

With his furious onslaught, Vanyel made sure to keep an eye on his opponent and the moves that he made to try and counter any retaliation that came his way. What he wasn't expecting, however, was Shenghuo to raise his foot and use it to push him back with a kick. While he was able to get his face out of the way, he still wasn't quick enough to escape it grazing his cheek and throwing off his balance.

As a result of that, he didn't see the kick in his now blind spot, leading to him getting a foot to the stomach and knocking the wind out of him, taking a couple of steps back. But, he quickly took in a breath, steadying himself and managing to react to the follow-up, an elbow strike to the face. Moving his arms up and catching it with one hand, Vanyel wasted no time in responding with a palm-strike to the chest, gripping the man's wrist, should he stumble back, and pull him back toward him before slamming his head into Shenghuo's.

Stumbling backward himself, Vanyel took a moment to put a hand to his head, before shaking his head and going back on the offensive. However, instead of a flurry of punches, Vanyel slipped into a lower stance, aiming at Shenghuo's legs with a quick sweep. Should he lose his balance and fall, Vanyel would immediately use the opportunity to get on top of him, drawing a fist back ready to attack, should he not surrender. But, should he keep his footing, Vanyel would simply back off and return to the first Taijiquan stance that he held at the start, ready for another attack.

(https://youtu.be/d-C_BtFdT7Q )

To say Shenghuo was astonished by Vanyel's reaction time was a severe understatement. The raven-haired martial artist felt as though he had forced Vanyel into a corner and thought he was prepare to land the finishing strike, only for the Dragon of Kyushu to catch his elbow with one hand, pulling him forward to land a fierce headbutt that left the man dazed, ill-prepared to launch a counterattack as he found himself swept off of his feet by Vanyel's leg as his back hit the ground. Vanyel quickly climbed atop the man to launch another strike and Shenghuo knew he no longer had the advantage, that most of it had been surrendered to his opponent.

"I yield." He would raise his hand up as chuckled sheepishly, impressed by the man's technique. He certainly didn't expect the fight to end as quickly but it'd be an experience he could learn from in the future. As soon as Vanyel would rise up, Shenghuo would pay his respects by bowing his head. The crowd, impressed by Vanyel would soon find their champion to cheer for as they began to shout his name exultantly, as thunderous applause was heard throughout the entire audience. Even Kenichi stared on, somewhat amused by the show they had put on. Vanyel Xiaoyang? Perhaps he'd find a worthy opponent, after all...

:Vanyel Xiaoyang has won the first match. Take a break to get yourself together, fighter. Your next opponent will be Omaeda. Of course, if you wish to face him now, then Omaeda may make his way towards the arena." The announcer would gaze in his direction to gauge Vanyel's mood.

Exhaling softly, Vanyel lowered his fist as Shenghuo yielded, rising to his feet as his opponent did. He smiled, bowing his own head to show respect to his opponent. Usually, he would just go for something simple and shake his hand. But, this felt more appropriate. Taking a deep breath to relax himself, he jumped slightly at the sudden cheering of his name in the crowd, and he sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his neck as he offered a wave in response.

He...definitely wasn't used to the spotlight being on him like this. People cheering his name? That was only something he'd expect in the most narcissistic fantasies he could muster. His attention quickly turned to the announcer as he said the name of his next fighter. He wasn't feeling tired just yet, if anything, he'd just need a quick swig of water. So, with a shake of his head, Vanyel took a few steps back to where he originally started.

"I'm still good to go, send 'im out. Let's do this."