The Demon King's Contest 1: Finished!

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

gaia_angelleft Miyazaki Haruka gaia_angelright

Successful hits
This match: 1 All time: 14

Times hit
This match: 1 All time: 6

Successful blocks
This match: 3 All time 8

Times blocked
This match: 2 All time 2

Successful Dodges
This match: 2 All time 4

Times dodged
This match: 1 All time 3

Successful counters
This match: 0 All time 2

Times countered
This match: 0 All time 1

Wins: 3 Losses: 0

Haruka entered the arena for the final time. She smiled politely at her opponent. "So it's down to us. No matter what happens things will turn out okay. Let's just have some fun!" she said, twirling her sai in her hands.  

[Silas Parrish]

Ichiro smiled and gave a quick nod.
"I apologize in advance. Even if you defeat me, you will not enjoy this battle. Best of luck to you, though. I plan to give you my all, but I hope you go on instead of me." The referee gave the command.
"Contestants ready? This is the final match! The winner will go on to face the Demon King himself! Pray that you don't get beaten up too badly." He gave a cruel cackle, and brought his hand down.
"Fight!"  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

#1

Haruka didn't understand what he meant by saying that she "won't enjoy this battle", but she shrugged it off. More than everything she loved to fight and this round would be no different.
Just as soon as the referee gave her the signal, she dashed forward, reusing an attack from a previous battle. She surrounded her foot and ankle in a strong pocket of air, performed a butterfly twist and threw it from her ankle. The blast swelled into a large whirlwind and literally ripped across the rocky arena toward Ichiro.  

[Silas Parrish]

Ichiro swung the kanabo once, his great strength nullifying the strange attack. He activated his Red Oni, allowing a black mist to emit into the arena and hide him from view, while his opponent's imagination populated the arena with images of her nightmares. He waited for his illusory power to take full hold, and slung the kanabo from within the shades.
2  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

#3

Haruko was mesmerized by the terrible illusions before her. She dodged and weaved through the images in an effort to escape, and was barely able to catch sight of movement as Ichiro attacked her. Reacting quickly, she sent a ball of concentrated wind flying into his kanabo, effectively blocking the attack. In the next instant, she dove at Ichiro, swinging powerfully with her sai.  

[Silas Parrish]

Ichiro felt the sai dig into his skin, but he ignored the white-hot pain. He stepped back into the shadows.
"I see you intend to ignore my illusions. Very well, then." He combined his power of attacking with his illusory powers, forging the Black Oni once more.
"What frightens you, little one?" Ichiro slashed at her with a palpable blade of shadow.
4  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

#5

Haruka jumped to one side, avoiding the blade, and countered with a strong jab from her sai.
"I don't see how it's any of your business what your fears are," she replied, as she attacked.  

[Silas Parrish]

Ichiro's blackened armor absorbed the force of her blow.
"You cannot hide it from me. You are frightened by the unseen, by the black creatures that might hide in the dark."
Something that might have been a tentacle or a claw lashed out at her from behind.
6  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

#7

Haruka sensed movement behind her and blocked the incoming attack with her sai. A lump was forming in her throat as she looked around. She couldn't see anything; the whole arena was pitch black. Judging from that claw that attacked her, there must be something horrible hidden within the darkness.
Panic began to overwhelm her and she glanced left and right, searching for any sound that may give away the location of her enemy.
When she thought she heard something, she leaped forward, slamming her fist in that direction.  

[Silas Parrish]

The young Youkai's aim was nowhere close to Ichiro. A hideous growling filled her ears as a mouth filled with what appeared to be bleeding eyes opened up beneath her, attempting to snap shut and cut her legs off at the knee. Ichiro struggled, trying to lessen the damage, or even allow her to dodge it. He was beginning to lose control.
8  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

#9

Haruka gasped as she began to fall into the gaping maw below her. However, thinking fast, she propelled herself back out using a strong gust of wind. She remained levitating even after she cleared the mouth for fear of falling into another. The whole thing was being to get to her even more than before.
She closed her eyes, swallowed loudly, and forced herself to calm down and focus on picking up Ichiro's energy. When she thought she had him pinpointed, she flew in that direction and kicked hard with both feet, praying that she'd make contact with her mark.  

[Silas Parrish]

Once again her aim meant nothing in the cloud of shadow. Ichiro forcefully banished his Black Oni, holding only the kanabo. He swung it half-heartedly once more.
10  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

((Last defense roll!))

Confused by the sudden withdraw of the shadows and blinded by the lights of the arena, Haruka had no chance to dodge or block the attack. The kanabo slammed into her arm. She could feel the bones in her forearm shatter and she cried out. Clutching her now useless arm, she stumbled away from her opponent, breathing heavily.  

[Silas Parrish]

The referee blew his whistle.
"The final match is a draw between the Fullbringer and the Youkai! The King will allow BOTH contestants to participate in the battle against him! Rest while you can. You'll need it."

The Demon King gave out an announcement as the day's fighting was concluded. The two finalists would indeed face him together, but would be given all the time they required to rest up. He wanted them both in top form. Ichiro, after receiving the message, went on to find the leader of his team.

"So, we are agreed, then?" Daisuke asked his superiors in Seireitei. "Anything it takes. Right. We'll stop him here." He had Haruka and the other surviving contestants summoned to him to discuss the plan. This tournament would mark the end of the Demon King's attempts to enter the world of the living.  

[Chibi Kitsune Warrior]

Haruka paced back and forth outside the arena. In just a few moments she and Ichiro would be facing off against the Demon King. The tension was palpable. If they failed, the current king would continue with his reign of terror, and by the time another tournament would be held, they may not be able to prevent another demon with the same mentality from taking the seat himself.
It all came down to this...