Chapter 230 ( Ryūha Kokumu Anten )

Three days had passed and Cloud along with the others were arriving at the place where they were to meet Saizō.

"Hmm... I didn't know that assassins now worked in a Temple..." - Keiko said sarcastically when she saw how Iori was wearing a Hime Miko outfit but with much longer hand sleeves.

Her sarcastic comment was only met with silence as the two opponents ignored her words.

"Hmm... I didn't expect to have such a large audience for a private event..." - Saizō said neutrally as he gave a placid smile to those present.

". . ." - Cloud frowned as he could sense how the smell of blood was much stronger than the last time he saw him - "I see you had fun."

"Yes, and a lot" - Saizō replied calmly - "But let's leave that for another time, now it's time to finish once and for all.... Don't you think so, Iori?"

Iori only nodded when she heard her mission partner's question.

"Hmm, since we understand each other, it's time to set the record straight... if Ayane wins, she won't have any relationship with the Asahinata clan, on the other hand, if Iori is the one who comes out victorious, then she will have to return to the clan and receive the punishment she deserves" - said Saizō while looking at the blond boy - "Everything okay so far?"

"Sounds perfect to me" - replied Ayane as she stood on her guard - "But I want to add something else..."

"Hmm~? I don't think you have the right to change anything, but I'll let you talk" - Saizō said neutrally as he widened his eyes - "Tell me.... What is it that you wish for?"

"If I win, I want to take Iori with me..." - Ayane answered seriously while looking at her former brother - "I don't plan to leave her alone again..."

"!" - Iori widened her eyes in surprise for a few seconds before returning to her neutral expression.

"Hmm... I don't have a problem with it, after all, the Asahinata clan doesn't need losers" - Saizō replied while looking coldly at the blue-haired girl - "I just hope you don't try to give up too soon, Iori.... I don't want to have to be the one to conclude everything..."

"You don't have to repeat yourself, Saizō Nii-san" - Iori replied, though it could be noticed how scared she was of her older brother figure.

"That's good to hear, you can start whenever you want" - Saizō said as he stepped back, though from his sharp gaze it could be deduced that he was paying attention to even the smallest detail.

"If you don't mind, I will be the referee of this duel" - said Kentarō while looking at the two girls - "This battle will be until one of the two participants falls or becomes unconscious. Fatal blows are forbidden.... Is that clear?!"

"Hai!" - The two girls exclaimed while Saizō just kept silent.

"Is there a problem with the rules?" - Cloud asked while looking at the assassin boy.

"No... I guess it makes sense" - replied Saizō while shrugging his shoulders - "I wouldn't like it if someone came and left a corpse in my yard either."

". . ." - a deep silence invaded the place when the boy said those words, but they quickly decided to put it aside.

"Begin!" - Kentarō exclaimed as the two girls launched themselves at each other.

* * * * *

Iori had launched herself against Ayane at full speed, to the point that she was leaving shadows as she advanced.

". . ." - Ayane watched this silently as her body began to tremble for a few seconds before disappearing from their location.

"!" - Iori quickly raised her guard and swung her right arm, only pulling back when she felt a heavy impact hit her limb - ". . ."

"It's time for me to show you the result of my training all these years, Iori..." - Ayane said as she stepped back after seeing that her attack had missed.

"Your speed is impressive..." - Iori said as she narrowed her eyes - "I never thought you would achieve such acceleration power in such a short time, Ayane... but that doesn't change things much..."

Iori quickly disappeared from her current location and appeared in front of Ayane as her eyes seemed to lose their sparkle.

Ayane tried to regain control of the battle, but as she launched her attack, she noticed how her fist had pierced through her opponent - "Huh?"

"Shadows are the battlefield of assassins..."

"!" - Ayane was surprised to hear her opponent's voice behind her, so she quickly threw a kick backwards, only to notice how the shadows again disappeared.

"You're not the only one who has trained to exhaustion, Ayane... I've suffered all these years while waiting for the chance to defeat you..."

"Ugh..." - Ayane groaned in pain as she felt the blue-haired girl's fist impact her stomach.

"Ryūha Kokumu Anten - Circle of Darkness... a name that fits perfectly.... Don't you think so, Ayane?"

". . ." - Ayane answered her quietly as she slowly began to calm her breathing.

"Don't give up so soon... I still want to enjoy..."

"Found you!" - Ayane exclaimed fiercely as she concentrated her Ki into her fist - "Senseiryū no Tekken!"

"!" - Iori's eyes widened in surprise as she felt a large stream of energy impact against her body - "ARGH!"

"It's not that easy to defeat me, Iori!" - Ayane exclaimed as she continued her combo - "Senseiryū no Saiga!"

Ayane's Ki again focused on her hands, only this time on her nails that were starting to simulate dragon claws.

"Ah!" - Iori again cried out in pain as she gritted her teeth at the sight of blood splattering from her arms.

"There's still Senseiryū no Tekken left!" - Ayane exclaimed as she started punching at full speed at her opponent - "Roar!"

* * * * *

"Now that's savagery..." - Keiko said as she whistled in appreciation - "If she keeps this up, that girl, Iori, won't be able to keep her guard up for much longer..."

"I concur..." - Makoto nodded as she watched the wounds on Iori's arms begin to increase.

". . ." - Saizō for his part, could only frown when he saw how the outcome of the battle was not going in the direction he had planned, but other than that, he was also surprised by that martial art he had never seen before, though what left him most intrigued, was that he could sense how that martial art should not exist with Ki, it was as if another type of energy was needed to be able to perform such techniques. This deduction was not difficult to arrive at if one knew what the ultimate goal of the [Ryūha Kokumu Anten] was, and that was none other than to analyze and absorb other martial arts and thus make the movements of others, become the user's.

"Impossible..." - Saizō muttered as his Ki began to overflow - "I can't analyze those moves!"

". . ." - Cloud didn't say anything when he heard this, in fact, he just smiled disdainfully because it was obvious that Saizō couldn't acquire those skills as his own, not when he didn't even have the qualifications to perform them. In fact, he still couldn't understand how it was that Ayane could have absorbed his techniques.

"Did I even say a joke?" - Saizō asked as he narrowed his eyes as he saw how the blond was looking at him like he was a clown.

"I didn't do anything to you, why so defensive?" - Cloud asked disdainfully as he stopped looking at the boy and focused on his student's battle - "You better concentrate or you'll lose sight of the moment when your plan is shattered..."

". . ." - Saizō's expression couldn't have been colder when he heard this, but he still focused on the battle again.

"There's no better way to get to know another martial artist, than fighting with them" - Cloud thought as he watched Iori breathing heavily, but still he didn't give up - "It's the best way to be able to communicate and express what you feel... don't waste this opportunity, Ayane..."

Cloud had come to certain truths during his short stay in this world, truths he had come to through continuing to break his boundary.

* * * * *

"Impossible!" - Iori thought as she stood up and looked at Ayane - "How is she stronger than me!"

"No! That can't be possible!" - Iori exclaimed as she lunged at Ayane again - "My efforts cannot be in vain! Ryūha Kokumu Anten - Dusk!"

Iori's silhouette, quickly distorted, only to appear above the red-haired girl.

"She's much faster!" - Ayane thought in surprise as she blocked the attack - "But it's still not enough! That speed doesn't compare to Sensei's!"

"Why?" - Iori muttered as her eyes began to mist over - "Why can't I defeat you despite all that I've trained! Ryūha Kokumu Anten - Ghost!"

Iori quickly split into 10 similar silhouettes and again lunged at Ayane, who only closed her eyes for a few seconds, only to open them and let the attacks come at her.

"Are you belittling me by any chance!" - Copies exclaimed.

"No..." - Ayane replied with a serious look on her face as she blocked the girl's attack.

"How?" - Iori asked as her eyes widened in surprise at how Ayane had discovered the original.

"Because I can feel your Presence..." - Ayane said as she hugged her friend - "I can feel what you really want to do..."

"I..." - Iori couldn't hold back anymore, she quickly hugged her friend and started to cry - "I... I was scared... I was afraid, Ayane-chan..."

"I'm sorry..." - Ayane murmured as she hugged the girl tighter - "I'm sorry for leaving you alone..."

--

Read 16 chapters ahead of Marvel X DC and each chapter is more than 3k words so maybe a total of 47k + words ahead...

and for source read 20 Chapters ahead

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