Yamato vs Iron Wolf

Yamato and Shandy met in the most unexpected of ways, atleast to Yamato it was the most unexpected of places to meet his childhood friend. In a ring as his opponent... It was strange.

At this moment even Shandy that didn't have much emotions was stunned by the situation. She blink and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Yamato lifted an eyebrow. "Isn't that my question?"

Through the speaker the commentator suddenly said to the crowd, "Yeah I can feel your excitement. The wise men did not lie, heroes really are indeed born from the young! On one side is Iron Wolf our in house killing machine, you all know what she can do don't you?"

The crowd roared their agreement and started chanting.

"Iron Wolf, Iron Wolf, Iron Wolf!"

From this one could tell how popular she's here. But Shandy looked up at the crowd with a hint of annoyance in her eyes. "He's just sprouting rubbish I have never killed anyone," she said looking at Yamato. Yamato naturally didn't believe the commentator but he said nothing.

The commentator continued, "While on the other side is another impressive young hero! Yeah surely if you have ears in the street you must have heard his name here and there. This here is Yamato Armor! The strongest street fighter in Kreal city despite only being fifteen!"

Actually Yamato is fourteen but since he'd be fifteen in less than a month he didn't feel like correcting the man. Nor did it matter. Instead he summoned his Astral gauntlets and lifted one fist into the air.

To his surprise the crowd roared in response. Though no one chanted his name like they did Shandy. It wasn't that surprising however, after all despite being unrivalled in terms of popularity in the street, unlike the streets the Underground is not his turf. Still Yamato felt a little curious, is Iron Wolf.... well Shandy very powerful?

Shandy stared at Yamato with complicated feelings then she also summoned her Astral weapon. Her Astral weapon is surprisingly a bow; a purple colored bow appeared in her grasp from the void, looking somewhat illusory. It shimmered in her hand like smoke, as if it would disperse at any moment.

Shandy suddenly pulled back the bow string. A black arrow coalesced out of thin air, notched perfectly in between her fingers. She aimed at Yamato and waited for the start of the battle.

"If you want me to tell you my secrets you'll have to beat me Yama," She said.

"I don't care about your secrets," Yamato scoffed coldly. "But I'll kick your ass Shandy, I won't show pity,"

Shandy's gaze turned cold. "Good,"

"The rules are simple... No killing," The commentator said playfully causing the crowd boo, but he ignored them. "You can the fight either by knockout or by subduing your opponent convincingly, meaning putting them in a position were you could decide their life and death. For example placing a sword against your opponent's throat... Well none of you use swords but you get the point, be inventive. Bring up the Shield,"

A bluish energy shield like a veil of light appeared around the fighting cage, totally isolating the fighters from outside. This is a special feature of the cage that is used to protect the spectators. Once the Shield is activated no attack can mistakingly strike the audience.

However the energy shield has the disadvantage of somewhat lowering the viewing quality of the fight, so except when there's an opponent that uses long distance attacks, the energy shield will never be raised. That's why with Shandy using a bow precautions had to be taking, this way no spectator would be harmed by the straw bolts.

"Let the fight begin!" The commentator shouted out abruptly making the crowd roar in delight.

An arrow of dark energy came flying at Yamato immediately. He dove to the side to avoid the darklight bolt, rolled on the ground and back to his feet in one smooth motion. The arrow shut past his previous position and struck the energy shield. However the dark arrow didn't even cause a ripple on the shield's surface but disappeared harmlessly.

Shandy didn't even blink and continued shooting more bolts of energy. She knew Yamato's strength quite well and never expected to defeat him with a single arrow. If one arrow won't work how about ten? If ten doesn't work then twenty, thirty or even hundred. She could keep shooting arrows for a long time, Yamato will lose if he makes one mistake!

Shandy was confident on beating this childhood friend of hers. As for the possibility of Yamato counterattacking against her she believed the possibility is slim. Her confidence wasn't without reason though; she know Yamato's fighting style and all his techniques. According to his strength he could only passively dodge the arrows.

However just as Shandy thought that, she was surprised as she saw Yamato weave past her arrows and started rushing at her.

Previously Yamato had jumped away for some time because he wanted to gauge the speed of the arrows before taking them head on. After he understood them he didn't hesitate and charged at Shandy.

Shandy's eyes turned ruthless and fired the arrows faster, but the next moment she was stunned again. While running Yamato blocked the incoming dark arrows within reach with his gauntlets and twisted his body to avoid the ones he couldn't block.

'At this rate I'll lose,' Shandy thought. 'Unless I'm ruthless. But this.... No this is no time for sentiments. I am Iron Wolf now not Shandy, so Yamato is not my friend at this moment but the opponent I must defeat!'

Convincing herself with that logic the girl's aura changed, becoming sharper. Iron Wolf's eyes turned colder. She aimed lower and started shooting at her opponent's legs. The arrows will not kill or cripple him but they have a special effect that once they hit him it'll be her victory. One, Two, Three, Four. Four arrows flew out in quick succession. Seeing this Yamato's eyes turned grim, this attack is difficult to avoid.

The legs unlike the upper body are less flexible so Yamato couldn't avoid by twisting his body away from the attack, he needs to actually move his legs out of the way. But with speed the arrows are coming even if he avoids one the rest will hit him... At least that's how it should have been had he been the old Yamato.

If this was a month or so ago Yamato would have been defeated by Shandy just like that. But after Katrina's footwork training, this was an easy task.

Yamato kicked the ground and leaped to the side, then kicked off the ground again to change direction. He started moving in a zig zag, avoiding the arrows with extreme speed, his figure didn't blur from the speed but it was close to that level. Iron Wolf widened her eyes in surprise.

Hmph!

She scoffed then lifted her bow and aimed at the sky. This time she fired three arrows from a single shot. The energy shield didn't cover the top of the ring so the arrows soared out of the bars of the cage unimpeded.

Yamato looked up and saw no sign of the arrows. Then relaxed and was about to continue moving forward, but another of Katrina's training helped him. The arrows were originally dark so he didn't see them till it was right in front of him. This attack would have struck many fighters but catching stones helped him.

Yamato quickly moved his hands blocking them. However at that exact time Iron Wolf had fired more shots at him. Yamato barely dodged by leaping away and doing flips and summersaults in the air like Super Mario. He had been only three or four steps to Shandy but to avoid her arrows he had unknowingly took a great distance, moving away from her till he reached the edge of the ring.

The two stared at each other from opposite ends of the large cage. Both were covered in cold sweats, weary of the other. In this brief exchange their power was matched.

Iron Wolf didn't continue attacking as if she's satisfied with pushing him away, so Yamato stopped moving and stared at her. Her face was well hidden behind the scarf and hood. But when he saw her in this ring earlier he'd recognized her at a glance. Her beautiful eyes were as cold as always.

At this moment Yamato both felt excited and proud, yet sad and angry. His emotions confused him.

"Did Zack know about this?" Yamato asked. "That you are Iron Wolf?"

"No," Shandy said. "I do not fight everyday. I haven't fought for a while, I thought I'll face a young fighter today, I never expected.... What about you, how are you here?"

"Zack was supposed to be your opponent,"

"So you were covering for him?"

"Yes.. Shandy you were a fighter all along. You were hiding more things yet you dared to demand answers from me! Really I have misjudged you Shandy!"

Shandy looked calm as ever. "You are right Yama, I am the biggest scum in the world. As I said if you want me to give you an explanation, you have to beat me first,"

"And as I said I'm gonna kick your ass. That fancy bow won't help you,"

They stood in silence for a long time, staring at each other. Each one of them too wary of the other to attack first. Especially Yamato, there's no way he's moving unless to respond to her attack or he'd lose. There's a certainty to it.

"Fight, Fight Fight!"

The crowd finally got impatient and started chanting.

Iron Wolf released an arrow. Yamato stepped to the side to avoid and move forward at the same time. The more Iron Wolf fired the closer he got, it was the same as earlier; he was neutralizing her arrows and closing the distance at the same time. Each arrow brought him closer to her.

'As expected he's very dangerous...'

Iron Wolf decided to stop shooting and Yamato came to a stop. She had hoped he'd continue moving so if she attacks him he'd find it hard to avoid mid motion. He'd only move when I shoot huh?

She started feeling the unfairness of this. Shandy aimed at the sky, intending to force him back like earlier. Who knew that immediately she shot at the sky, Yamato would kick the ground and shot towards her with impossible speed.

Shandy's eyes went wide. Only a last minute twist of her body prevented her from being punched to pulp. Yamato passed by in a blur, his gauntlet clashing against the metal bars of the cage, denting them and breaking the energy shield. Iron Wolf turned to him with narrowed eyes. "Are you trying to kill me!" She said.

"Do you believe that?" Yamato glared at her.

"I don't..."

Yamato didn't know what he's doing. He'd never imagined he'd one day attack Shandy but now she appeared to him as a fighter, a formidable opponent. It didn't matter if she was Shandy or a random girl he would never pull his punches. This is the way to become the strongest.

So to him this is not Shandy but Iron Wolf, his opponent.

Yamato leaped to Iron Wolf throwing a punch towards her face. She stepped to the side to avoid then lifted her hands and swung her bow side ways, like a club, at him. Yamato blocked with one hand then threw a punch aimed at her stomach.

Shandy avoided then wheeled upside down, her leg and swept his feet off the ground as it descended. Yamato has never seen such a strange that started from top and ended below so he was caught off guard. But he'd suffered in Katrina's hand for the past few weeks so he adapted quickly. He let himself fall, lowered his hand to touch the ground then used it to spring back up.

He twisted his leg in the air and kicked at Iron Wolf's stomach. She fell back with a groan. Yamato leaped after her throwing a punch down at her face. Only a swift roll to the side saved her. Yamato broke a hole in the ground where her head had been.

Shandy was the one putting a distance between them this time. He rose to his feet and pursued her. She quickly fired two arrows at him but he dodged with minimal movement and closed the distance.

"Haaa!"

Yamato roared as he pulled his hand back and threw a punch. He hit his opponent straight in the face sending her flying. Shandy crashed against the cage and fell down to the ground in a sitting posture.

The crowd immediately roared their delight.

"It seems we have a winner, Yamato Armor wins!" The ending bell rang and the commentator announced the verdict.

Yamato usually lifted his hand and cheered with the crowd after a victory, even an easy one, but this time he first rushed towards Shandy.

Just now he had dispelled his Astral gauntlet at the last moment, if not he'd have turned her head to a plop. Still his punch had enough force to break her nose.

Shandy sat up touched a hand to her nose and inspected the hand. She grimaced as she saw blood. "You really broke my nose you fool!" She glared at Yamato angrily.

Yamato knelt before her, feeling guilty. "Hey you are a fighter right? It'll heal before morning!"

"Shut up idiot, I am a girl and you broke my nose! How would I look now?"

"Okay I'm sorry,"

"Damn you Yamato! I told you not to come here yet you came and ruined my show. I hope you are happy now!" The door of the cage automatically opens after a fight ends, Shandy cursed at him then stormed out of the arena. Yamato had frozen in spot with a stupid look on his face because he'd never seen Shandy curse that much, much less show emotions.

Of course unbeknownst to Yamato Shandy wasn't really angry; a person like her don't have much emotions, how can she be that angry? She was just acting to guilt trip him, this way he will also feel at fault and not push her too hard.

To her Yamato is special existence, she couldn't bear his hatred or indifference.

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Author's note; I have nothing much to say just asking for support....