The Niten Ichi-ryū Tournament [ATM Private| D'gerik]

”M-Mura, check that out..!” the spirit samurai asked his shamanistic friend when spotting a random flyer on one of the Rose Garden’s many lightbulbs, “It’s a tournament… a swordsmanship tournament!” A few seconds passed, before his ears caught what Kyuken just told; then again, why would they hold a tournament with that theme here? It sounded way too Midi to be held in the Rose Garden, but looking over at the large field that gave the town its name, he could already see the preparations be held. “W-Woah, they mean it…” he let out in a soft amaze.


He just showed up in this town to try out this new restaurant that opened nearby very recently, but the news of a swordsmanship tournament excited him a little. Heck, he wanted to participate, of course! “Perhaps I should join,” he spoke to Kyuken and the green dragon ghost, Zirconis, “It’s been a while since I’ve fought another swordsman. I need to free myself from rusting…” He began moving towards the grass field where roses made out the contour as their leaves blew so gently around. Many people were apparent, all wielding their respective swords to show off their intimidating swordsmanship prowess. From rapiers to large greatswords, with the small figure in the line wielding his own, little katana that didn’t stand out as much. They were all going to have the shock of their lives after this…

A swordsman's tournament, here..? thought D'gerik, especially considering that the Rose Garden was more of a shopping district more than anything else, and yet one look to the side proved that they weren't joking. It almost made D'gerik chuckle, especially when he took notice of all the different buff swordsmen and re-quip mages showing off their muscles and excessively sized blades. It was embarrassing, to say the least, especially considering that he was the only katana wielder as far as the eye could see. Until...


D'gerik was just standing around in his bright white gi with his plain katana tied to his side, waiting for the tournament to be set up. It was then he saw a curious sight. A young child, also wielding a katana. It made him chuckle, although not because he felt the child was out of his element. No instead it was because it made him feel happy that there were others willing to take on the traditions of his ancestors. He figured there would be at least one or two other katanas hanging around, but he couldn't ever be certain. Hopefully the tournament will start soon. he thought to himself, as he saw that the preparations were just about done - prompting him to tie the Musashi emblem onto his shoulderpad.

The line was quite longer than he saw earlier as if it just expanded. It was definitely going to entertain him for a while, in which he was glad to have chosen this opportunity. Although, before it started, he noticed that many people around him wielded emblems to symbolize either their origins or their factions. He could definitely feel the presence of mages around him, in which he wondered if the Fairy Tail Guild Mark wasn’t enough- as his mind suddenly reminded him of another logo to use. “I don’t want to stand out like this,” he expressed, lifting up a hand. Discreetly, he clapped both hands together and rested them in mid-air for a brief second, before aiming the palm downwards. What was earlier plain kerb turned into a branch of wood that grew up to his shoulder and manifested a kind of shoulder plate with the symbol on it.


“What do you think?” he asked the two spirits. Zirconis came with the first reply: “… Something tells me that it lacks symbolism- wait, why the hell am I reviewing your emblem? Ask the other one!” “O-Oh, ehm, it looks good on you, Mura! Your father would be proud to see you wearing that..!” the samurai quickly followed up after. Chuckling, the young shaman approached further to the arena and managed to enter the area where the participating swordsmen gathered. There, everyone was going to assign their name, faction and choice of sword. One of the judges even announced: “To all who is gathered here, hajimemashita! I am Kirimoto, one of the three commentators to this week’s Niten Ichi-ryū Tournament!” The crowds around the Rose Garden let out cheers and screams as Mura could clearly sense the presences of people from not alone Fiore, but many other places as well. Despite only lasting a week, and not being as influencing  as a magic tournament, he was happy to stand here and hoped for the best results in this week. “Here are the basic rules of combat; one versus one all the way to victory! Every swordsman is only allowed ONE SWORD IN A BATTLE! You may switch between your very own swords from duel to duel, but ONLY ONE AT A TIME! Remember, it is strictly prohibited to use any kind of Caster or Holder spell during a duel! The first one to turn incapable of continuing the fight will lose! This is a tournament of pure prowess of your blades; remember that, everyone! I, Mayor and Madoka will comment the upcoming battles, so stay tuned people of Rose Garden and audience!”


With the help of their Lacrima Screens, they were able to put up the duel section. The battles were going to be shouted out by the Mayor of the Rose Garden himself, so swordsmen and others had some time to walk around and get a good idea of their opponents. Either that, or they could take the chance to make bonds with one another; given by the scene, they were quick to get new friends as they all shared a huge trait, the way of the sword. Meanwhile, Kyuken was strangely curious to see his emblem on somebody else’s shoulderpad. Frowning an eyebrow, he approached this white-haired youth in that blue spirit ball form of his, asking: “E-Ehm… nice emblem there, boy. I must say, you got a good taste for art! Hehe!”

D'gerik was consistently throughout the course of several hours targeted by the bigger brutes and challenged to duels with the hopes of felling the man before he even had a chance to compete, however all the duels, save for a few were turned down. D'gerik wasn't the kind of lad to let himself be scared by any brutes, and he really only fought those who were adamant, believing it was the best way to avoid disqualification for fighting outside of the designated zones. And naturally, the more brutish they are, the more clumsy their fighting style, making them much easier opponents than any regular civilian would have likely expected.

Of course it helped that D'gerik was quite sly and, almost immediately after the rules were read out, he went to the announcer to make sure one very important detail. I must ask sir. he began I am a practitioner of Niten Ichi-ryū. I am well aware that the rules clearly state that I may only use one sword. However, given that I am a katana wielder, My blade is carried within its own sheath. May I utilize my sheath as it is technically part of the same weapon?

This was a question that made the announcer immediately furrow his brow. One moment please, I must discuss this with the judges. he said before heading back to where the other judges where preparing the criteria for the competition. It took a few minutes but he eventually returned with a second judge and, to D'gerik's pleasure, the judge related; It will be announced that yes, assuming your offhand is a part of your weapon, you may be allowed to use it as though it were a single weapon, provided it is not done by form of magic and presented to the judges before the match. This made D'gerik smile. He bowed gracefully and thanked the judges for their time before moving back into the crowd.

It was at this point that he was approached by a small spirit, something that didn't really strike him as particularly odd, given the world he lived in. The spirit questioned him about his insignia;


it was etched onto a small wooden plaque and tied securely to his shoulder by white cloth straps. He sighed upon being called a boy, implying his youth as though he was a child. He regarded with a smile in response; I am well aware that as a spirit you are far older than me, but please do not call me boy. Nothing personal, I just do not wish to be regarded as a child when I am a capable adult. As for the emblem, it is not an artistic choice. My name is D'gerik Blackheart of the Musashi clan, or what's left of it, anyway... This is the symbol of my family, and I wear it proudly today in honor of my ancestor.

Kyuken froze. What this man, addressed as child in Kyuken’s eyes, said to him was simply breathtaking. Many mixed feelings enveloped him at the response that he was of the Musashi clan, the very same clan whose conflicts with the Kensho clan created obscurity throughout the sacred lands of Midi. The very same clan that… that he built up with his very own hands and seed. The very same clan that shared his lineage and lifestyle, the clan that shared his true name… but Kyuken didn’t like his true name. Musashi, the name of a rōnin that broke such a treasured rule that he couldn’t even take hearing that name without remembering his pitch-black sin…

“M-Musashi… the Musashi clan?” he stammered a bit in reaction, “I-I see… *cough* well, I wish you good luck out there! I should mention that my friend is also participating; you might duel against him, boy.” Well, Kyuken completely ignored the ‘I’m not a child’ statement from D’gerik and went with his own wishes of addressing him, while the Lacrima Screen blinked. All swordsmen looked up at the screen, 10 minutes until the first duel would begin, which suddenly showed the several duels and turns:


The names were shown up on the screen, causing buzz to rampage. Mura looked at his bracket and spotted that he was going to face a swordsman named Darkryū Soulken. The name sounded very weird, especially because of the Midi-Fiore mix in them. However, before he worried too much, a smile rose on his lips as Kyuken would eye towards Mura in order to show D’gerik just who he was talking about. If one looked towards where Darkryū was to be found, a very nasty aura enveloped the tall man. Somehow, he seeded horror in some of the audience’s hearts by mere standing nearby. Tomoe was the only woman who signed up. Wielding her daisho, she fascinated everyone’s eyes and spread awe and praise by her honorable expression. Naga looked strong as hell; his clothes were about to burst from those muscles that kept expanding. Minamoto looked quite Midian to be straight with it. Honda was pale in his skin; his long, black hair made a clear contour behind his serpent smile, while Raymond’s fierce, blonde hair reflected the heating sun’s light. All fascinating opponents that Mura would have to face, but only some of them. The rest of them would entertain him through spectating, but he was more than eager to have the games begin.

OOC: Just a quick summary of the swordsmen above ^^ you may let the games begin in your post if wishing to

D'gerik sighed at the spirit's disrespect for his wishes, but thought nothing of it. He never could understand spirits anyway. He nodded to what very clearly was the child he had seen earlier. If the child had a spirit with him, D'gerik could only assume he at least had magical talent. This made him smile, knowing that the boy wouldn't be an easy fight either... good!
He turned after leaving the spirit to his business towards the monitor, sighing again when he noticed he was the third fight of the day. Oh well... I could have been last again. he thought to himself with a shrug. Given he couldn't really do anything about it, D'gerik sat down on the contestant's bleachers and chose to silently watch. It seemed the boy was first against what was probably the single most brutish man out there.
Ridiculously oversized muscles for any swordsman nowadays. The kind of man that clearly screamed out quantity over quality as a fighter. He looked visibly angry when he saw Mura stand up for his match, making his discomforting aura even worse for those who couldn't deal with it. he made his way over to the ring which was set with a magical seal to prevent cuts from doing any real damage. The judges were sure to say at that moment; Worry not folks, although the swords are very real, we make sure our competitions are as safe as they can be, and the council's mages help us ensure that even further. No injury is too great so long as you're within the barrier of the arena. Now let's get this show on the road, shall we? For the first official match of the day: Our youngest contestant, Mura Kensho - versus the musclebound Darkryū Soulken!

The crowd rose in applauds and cheers. They were excited. After all, something like this wasn't common at all, much less in a place like the Rose Garden! However that excitement was not at all shared by the ever more furious man Mura was about to face. He scowled and growled in ire. Are you seriously telling me that they matched me, the great Darkryū Soulken, against a mere child?! Why must these tournaments continually insult me so! And so, unleashing his blade, Darkryū looked to Mura and called out Prepare yourself, boy. I don't plan to hold anything back, even if you are a child!
Are we all prepared? asked a second judge, awaiting for the cheers to die down and the contestants to nod their acknowledgement before a signal started the rhythmic sound of taiko drums and calling out; Let the match begin!

Naturally, no time was spared by Darkryū who proceeded to cry out and charge headfirst. It was clear that his stance wasn't amateurish in the slightest. He knew exactly what he was doing. The only flaw he had at all was simply the fact that he was very clearly letting his muscles do all the talking as he charged the boy down.

OOC: Decided it would be fun if we played our opponents X3

After the judge spoke out his assurance of the situation, Mura stepped up on the soft grass. He was going to engage in the first battle against the scary brute known as Darkryū. The man wasted no time, but frequently complained about having the young, slim samurai as his opponent, using the argument of calling Mura a child. “I’m ready,” he assured the judge as he was asked. Buzz went quiet and people’s eagerness filled the air. There was completely silent, excitement overheating. Suspense was glowing as the judge finally spoke out: “Let the match begin!”

The brutal swordsman charged up in front of Mura and swung his axe-looking longsword towards his belly, a good place to deal non-fatal damage. Mura quickly leapt off the ground and followed the blade’s direction, grinding it towards the side with his Harusame. Because of the direction, he was able to tip the brute to the side despite the size. With Darkryū tipping to the side, he attempted to swoop his legs and make him fall down, but the brute’s stance was quite heavy. Mura decided to make a little space, lift Harusame up to clash with the brute’s longsword again as sparks erupted, almost covering the entire battlefield and reaching the spectators. People cheered and screamed with all their might and will as the battle continued between the two swordsmen.

Mura had fought alongside Kyuken for a long time, so the ancient swordsman’s fighting style was easy to mimic. Although, he didn’t wield two blades as that was prohibited, but he could always do this; he clenched his other fist as if he was holding another blade, while only acting with the actual Harusame. It looked as if he was relying on both ‘swords’, but in fact, the other hand was just helping him concentrate. He managed to make the brute move around the arena as he wished by blocking from several angles, while the sparks reached the judges’ glasses. “W-W-What a spectacle! Fairy Tail’s Mura Kensho is having the upper hand against the mighty Darkryū of the Forgotten Desert!!!”

How pitiful... thought D'gerik after the fight began. Not only was this brute attacking to kill (which he thankfully could not do), but he was also getting schooled by a fighter who was not only handicapped but also had less than half the physique of his own. He was a scary looking man, but that was about it. Of course, he couldn't judge the brute's sword skills the same way. Although D'gerik found them cowardly, they were effective, and he was really only been tipped because of Mura's own combat style.

Meanwhile, within the arena, Darkryü continuously roars in anger as each and every single strike he attempts is either blocked or countered in a very embarrassing way to him. Of course, the people around him don't see it that way. They seem to see a man who's swings are powerful enough to send a gust of wind in their direction forcing a good swordsman into a highly defensive stance. They couldn't see that in reality, although Mura couldn't side-swipe him, he was perfectly capable of taking him on. This was going to be a fight of wits now. A proper strike must be landed in order to make any progress in this duel. All that was left was to see was who could land the first blow.

The fight continues! Darkryü shifts his position, twisting his body in an attempt to bring down his sword in an arching, downwards-diagonal swing to try and get Mura's shoulder, figuring that since the lad was one-handing his katana, a power attack from above should take down his weakened guard. Although that remains to be seen...

Darkryū suddenly switched his position in the blink of an eye, a speed that surprised the little samurai given by the size of this brute. He must’ve got tired of all the openings that he laid out and decided to use another sinister part of his potential; his brain. He wouldn’t care if Mura’s shoulder was ripped apart, as long as it would give him a win. Then again, the young man had participated and thus accepted all risks, so the sudden change of position didn’t surprise him, an act that would’ve made him open for the attack. It was a typical situation to get surprised like that, in which you let yourself open, but if you thought fast enough, then every movement could be read in mere nanoseconds. It was such obscure principles that had molded the Mura that looked straight into Darkryū’s eyes as he was the one to be surprised. The large Mammoth Crusher Blade, Darkryū’s chosen sword, had dug through the earth itself and left a large crack on the field, but Mura’s foot was resting upon the upper edge of the large blade.

Without thinking, he let his right hand do the trick and swung Harusame forward. Kyuken was floating alongside D’gerik, but even he could see the silhouette of himself behind Mura as he clearly felt nostalgic of his own fighting styles. A blitz of light was reflected from the sun that baked on the field as all the spectators had lost their voices by the surprising outcome. Mura’s metal cut up Darkryū’s torso and left out a trail of blood from the brute’s body. Slowly, the opponent would tip back and feel like losing consciousness from one, single hit. Sword shows were often ended like that; one, single cut is enough to even end one’s life. Mura held back, though, both because of his code and because of the rules.

“… And… and… and Darkryū is down for the count!!!” Kirimoto roared as the public raised their hands and praised along, “This duel’s winner is none but Fairy Tail’s Mura Kensho! What an outcome! The mighty, brutal swordsman was at this young man’s mercy all the time!!!” It was like the roars of a thousand humans surrounding the swordsman, and despite the short result, they were all delighted by this duel’s entertainment. There was truly something in a swordsman that stood out compared to any other type of fighter, and Mura felt like standing out in his own way. “Hehehe..!” he continued laughing like a relieved child, watching the audience go all out. His name on the screen moved from his duel with Darkryū to the other bracket that would set him up against whoever won the next battle; Minamoto Tametomo from Midi or Naga of Galuna Island?

There was a large, but momentary pause. The people gasped in anticipation for the dust to settle before they saw the large brute fall over and the winner declared as the youngest contestant. The crowd cheered and applauded intensely, but D'gerik just sat there, letting a smirk form at the corner of his lips. He did eventually join the standing crowd, but only once he saw that Mura was returning to the contestant's bleachers. D'gerik invited Mura to sit with him saying "Come, let us speak as we watch the next match, yes?" with a courteous bow and a wave to the seat.

Both Minamoto and Naga were relentless against each other. Neither used a blade as simply exotic as a katana, mostly everyone else relying on their trademark or Re-quipped weapons. Still it was an impressive display regardless, each swordsman fighting to their own style and finding themselves having to adapt to the other's in order to avoid being hit. This fight would most definitely take longer than the last as we had two offensive fighters butting heads for the first time.

The next match began, the two warriors Minamoto and Naga definitely more evenly matched than our last two contestants. But that wasn't D'gerik's focus right now. He just wanted to speak to what was perhaps the most curious contestant of today's lineup. "We never got to properly introduce each other, Mura Kensho of Fairy Tail Guild. My name is D'gerik Blackheart. And you are perhaps the only contestant today to catch my eye for one particular reason.." He explained, letting his hand rest on his Katana. "It's not very often I meet another practitioner of Niten outside of my home village.." he ended, looking to Mura as the sounds of the other contestant's blades clashing resonated throughout the Garden.

After that the younger swordsman approached the spectators’ lines, he was called by one of the competitors. The white-haired man wanted to have a talk while they watched the next match that was between the two duelists, Naga and Minamoto. It was going to be fun to watch, but the stranger was insistent. Approaching him, Mura greeted: “Hajimemashita.”

Naga and Minamoto made the crowds go wild like dogs as D’gerik spoke. He seemed fascinated by his performance earlier, but when he mentioned Niten, Mura was surprised to hear it from another practitioner of Kyuken’s swordstyle. Could it be that he was… it must’ve been. Mura had knowledge about the Musashi clan back in Midi, and they were most likely the only ones other than himself capable of practicing Kyuken’s Double Heavens Sword Style. “So you’re from the Musashi Clan? Awesome…” he replied to D’gerik, “That means that you’re a descendant of Musashi-“ He was about to reveal Kyuken’s connection to the entire clan, but the ghost caught this mouth and mumbled: “S-Shouldn’t you get ready for the next battle? It seems that Minamoto won…”

Back at the battlefield, Naga was on the ground, fainted, while Minamoto’s breath heated up the air before him. It had been such an intense battle that people had lost their breaths at the very end, so it took them a quick moment to inhale, before letting out a cheer. “And-and-and-and-and Naga is down in the second duel! Minamoto Tametomo takes off with the victory and moves onto the semifinals!!!” After Kirimoto had announced the news and regulated the results of the heated, furious, ultimate battle, he then continued with the words: “The next batch of battles is between the descendent of the Musashi clan, D’gerik Blackheart, versus the officially fastest swordsman in all of Fiore! It’s none other than Raymond The Blitz of Shirotsume, ladies and gentlemen!!!” The blonde-haired speedy stepped out in a flash, and because of the regulations, it was revealed to be his regular, base level speed. No magic was involved, but damn, wasn’t he fast as hell. His sword was a rapier, a long, thin blade that was more fit for moving around swiftly rather than digging into the meat. He smiled off to the crowds, while Mura spoke: “W-Well, good luck out there! I heard that he's no joke with that rapier, so you should watch out...”

D'gerik had no real choice other than to respond with a tisk and a sigh at the speed which the duel between the last two contestants had ended. I was certainly hoping that it would take longer... Well, I can tell you that I am indeed one of the few remaining members of the Musashi clan. At least in regards to direct relatives anyway.

With another sigh, D'gerik stood from the bleacher and ending the all too short conversation How annoying... I was hoping to get some time to speak with you about something important, but it will have to wait until later. He took his katana in hand, securing it to his uwa-obi a touch loosely, though only enough so that he would have to pull if he wanted it to come loose, then moved on towards the ring with a knowing nod to Mura.



The Blitz of Shirotsume, Raymond. Renowned across all of Fiore for his incredible speed in combat. Though he used a rapier, it was clear just from looking as the two contestants moved to the stage that it was not a blade meant exclusively for piercing as most would assume. Nay, Raymond was very capable of bladeplay of all kinds, not just fencing. What were the odds that D'gerik, who is most likely to be named officially "the least known swordsman of Fiore", would be pit against someone who's notoriety was exactly the opposite? Well no matter, D'gerik did not intend to lose this fight, and instead planned to now, after so many years, finally display his talent to the world. Or at least, whoever was watching.

The two contestants met at the side of the ring, bowing to each other courteously then shaking each other's hands before making their way to the ring and taking their places. Naturally, someone as famous as Raymond would be expected to at least give the audience a small flourish which, of course, he granted in the form of drawing his blade and swiping in a circular motion around each of his sides with enough speed to stir the wind into making a sound not unlike a whip traveling to its destination just before the snap before ending in his battle stance which was, for lack of a better word, absolutely flawless.

D'gerik nodded to the judges along with his oppontent, drawing his katana from its scabbard. In spite of his earlier claims of practicing Niten, his stance was all wrong. His grip on the blade was one-handed, as tradition, but he showed no compensation for the lack of a second blade, and his footwork was loose, almost sloppily so. You would almost think he was doing so on purpose...

It was directly exposed from the man himself that he was a descendant of none other than the spirit samurai beside them. Mura still kept his mouth shut, though, as the tournament quickly moved on to the second battle; D’gerik of the Musashi clan against a legend, the one and only Raymond. It was certainly going to be an interesting battle, but Mura didn’t have any knowledge of D’gerik’s level in skill, in which he couldn’t but worry due to the opponent’s massive reputation. However, thinking and thinking as the two swordsmen stepped up on the arena, he began to feel easier. If D’gerik’s soul was ready, then no opponent would stand in his way… not even Raymond.

Raymond did start off the first action, first by a grin, then by suddenly causing dust to soar up on D’gerik’s face from the front. About 20 meters was passed in the split of a second; oh boy, was Raymond fast. Without magic, too…, Mura admired. However, as Raymond swung his rapier upwards to deal a swift blow to start off the match, the shaman had a feeling that if D’gerik really was from Musashi, then he would have no trouble dodging an attack like that…

(sry for the short post)

The fight began, D'gerik knew he was dealing with a fast one, so he couldn't rely on waiting for his opponent to start running. Instead he had to rely entirely on the preliminary movements. D'gerik didn't see when Raymond dashed towards him. Nay. He only saw Raymond's body twisting to get into position. And this was all he needed.

Due to his single handed grip, an upwards swipe from his opponent would require him to either take his sword in both hands, or react preemptively and dodge to the side. He chose the latter, allowing his blade to sweep the side of his opponents before he suddenly let go of his katana. He twisted his body further and in just a short moment he had switched hands and was now bringing his sword back just enough to commit to a horizontal slash behind his opponent's guard. Hopefully either connecting with the swordsman by using the sword's weak swing combined with Raymond's momentum, or forcing Raymond to dodge at a very awkward angle.

Raymond was at the moment in what people would find an annoying turn of events. D’gerik’s blade had pushed him to a corner, and the only way to avoid it seemed distant… or so, it did seem like that by the majority. Raymond wasn’t to be underestimated, because when D’gerik’s katana approached the other swordsman, he grabbed the ground with a hand and surprisingly turned his body up in a very strange angle, and angle of movement that appeared impossible and illogical. The judges were quick on their radars to try and see if any magic power was emitted during that, but no signs were shown. Raymond was simply too athletic and quickly took advantage of the element of surprise. With his rapier, he attempted to swing the thin metal around D’gerik’s katana and swing it off his grab. He did it with such a speed that the sound was unavoidable.

With the rapier around D’gerik’s katana, Raymond attempted to pull it off. He even went with a comment: “When one is faster than sound, then it’s impossible to push them to a corner! En garde!”

The crowd was on the edge. People always cheered when the famous hero was showing off once again. And indeed it seemed like there would be no way out for D'gerik, were it not for the fact that such an act was underestimating him. There was really only one way that D'gerik could get out of something like this, and it wouldn't be possible if he had not asked for such a ruling earlier when the tournament had yet to start. His action were fast, even if they did not match the blazing speed of Raymond just yet.

D'gerik twisted his body clockwise. The motion combined with a swift kick aimed at the fencer's arm were meant to dislodge the weapons. But that still left him at an incredibly disadvantageous position, were it not for what he did next. The crowd was absolutely speechless as the loud swat of wood resonated throughout the arena. In D'gerik's once free hand was now holding the scabbard of his katana, which had connected directly to the predicted kick attempt from Raymond, effectively blocking it from an otherwise impossible angle.

OOC: Bump?

Raymond was utterly surprised when his rapier went up in the air. His kick had been blocked efficiently, and D’gerik seemed to catch up to his speed? He was certain that the fencer was leagues beyond that other male when it came to speed… or so it appeared for him. Quickly, he went back into the fight and decided another strategy before D’gerik could enjoy the element of surprise too much.

His kick had been blocked, but Raymond quickly grabbed his rapier mid-air. Using D’gerik as a platform, he would push the male back with his foot and then attempt to swing the rapier down at the vulnerable swordsman. It really depended on the kick’s success, because if not, then he would most certainly leave himself wide-open. However, Raymond trusted his speed like trusting one’s mum when telling you that monsters don’t exist… it only seemed like that, in the end.

OOC: I have been bumped D< *is offended as hell*

The only problem with his strategy, which would have otherwise been flawless, is that Raymond didn't seem to take into account the fact that D'gerik was using a second weapon, even though it was all part of the same blade. This meant that D'gerik's stance would have changed, and indeed it had! From a single-bladed, one-handed, open, and clumsy stance; D'gerik was now in a much more defensible position. As the judges yelled back to the crowds, assuring them and other fighters that D'gerik was not breaking any rules, D'gerik was now far more heated. He used the fact that people were distracted to not hold back.

Normally, he would have blocked the kick. Instead, he was far wittier and performed a maneuver that required reflexes and a second blade. The scabbard of his katana came up, swatting the fencer's foot to the side as D'gerik answered with an uppercut slice attempt to Raymond's back, twisting his body to avoid the incoming swing at a speed that matched if not exceeded Raymond himself.

OOC: Sorry for short response and it's been daaaaaays T^T

The blonde fencer was surprised at the unpredicted counter! Did D’gerik just magically equip a second blade? He was about to yell out, but the judges were too busy stating that it wasn’t against the rules as it appeared to be from the very same blade… perhaps D’gerik’s katana had been collapsible, or maybe it was just capable of splitting up. In that moment, he grinned as the blade cut his back, sending him a few feet back. Mura didn't cheer on as the audience did, though. He could see by the angles, and there were many impossible angles to overcome, that the attack wouldn't be that effective... and Raymond knew that too.

He took the damage on purpose. Pain was on factor that would secure him another hit; extreme reflexes were another. Now that he was hit, he could begin to counter D’gerik’s counter… it sounded dumb, but the truth was that Raymond didn’t take much damage from such an attack. He betted that he wouldn’t be that affected by the pain as it would give him an opening, in which his rapier came swinging almost completely horizontal, so fast that despite its slimness, it caused the air to be pushed away and make a whipping sound. People around were instantly grabbed on their attentions by the sound of such rapid metal swinging by, afterimages of Raymond appearing in a circle around the two competitors, whilst the rapier was aiming at D’gerik’s chest; the Midian had to do more damage than that to win, and the fight appeared only to have begun now...

It was more intense than ever now. D'gerik had also taken a superficial strike, although his own was to the chest rather than the back. Of course there was pain, he wouldn't have joined if he didn't expect to leave without feeling at least a little bit of it. If anything, he was glad to be able to experience a duel with a real swordsman, something he was starting to believe would not come to pass at all. As with any such duel between swordsmen, the duel reached its expected pause. The moment where the two combatants began pacing, looking for openings in the other's guard. D'gerik's reflexes were quick, but so were Raymond's. It was almost a battle between equals to D'gerik's own eyes.

"You're good... very good." D'gerik started "I'd heard rumors about a fast swordsman joining the ranks, and I honestly shudder to imagine the kind of damage you would be able to cause if magic was actually allowed. I'm fairly certain I would have to surrender..."

He spoke so matter-of-factly, his right hand gripping the wooden scabbard of his katana whilst the other held the blade. The pause continued for a moment before finally, after any return of the words that Raymond may have granted his opponent, D'gerik spoke again.

"I'll be honest, Raymond, I was not expecting to have to go all out this early in the tournament. But you've really given me no choice... I've been withholding a bit of a secret you see..." Suddenly, and perhaps the most random move anyone in this entire tournament save for Mura could have performed, he switched hands, blade to the right, and sheath to the left.
"I was neither going as fast as I could, nor am I left handed... Here I come!"

He called out, the wind bursting behind him as his speed, his own, natural speed was mimicking if not somewhat surpassing his opponent. His blade work was suddenly flawless, following every step of advanced Niten sequences to the letter, sequences designed to strike at his opponents body with his main hand and blocking with his off-hand. D'gerik would have to hope this would surprise Raymond, catch him off-guard, and pray that his opponent wouldn't be able to see through all the sequences at once.

”Same to you, rookie,” Raymond responded. Despite having a reputation to live up to, he enjoyed the battle fully. The battle had taken a little while longer than the previous one, but he was happy. Although, his grin turned into a surprised look as D’gerik suddenly switched his fighting style into a separated blade and sheath. As soon as that happened, the wind caught up and revealed a serious swordsman charging at the blonde fencer. His eyes were almost widened in shock…

Raymond quickly tried to block with his fencer, but the second sheath prevented him from doing so. Mura spectated the change in battle and almost spoke up: “T-That’s..!” He could clearly see it, and Kyuken could see it more clear than anyone. As soon as D’gerik decided to get serious, a silhouette of the Heaven And Earth Swordsman manifested behind him in spirit, not in magic. His movement, speed and technique resembled Kyuken’s to a high degree, causing the spirit to dislocate his jaw in awe. So that was the result of his offspring… such pride had Kyuken never felt before.

Raymond was pushed to a corner now. His rapier couldn’t fend off both the katana and sheath, and before he knew it, the sheath was slammed onto his jaw, causing him to fall back. All that happened in less than the blink of an eye for the audience around, and the judges were quick on their toes with the mana meters. No signs of magic being used… it was all pure skill. “… R-R-Raymond is on the ground…” Kirimoto whispered to build up suspense, “… A-And he’s out for the count! This duel’s victor is none other than D’gerik of the Musashi clan!!!” People went loud as hell with the surprising result; a mere beginner defeating such a skilled fencer? Some of them even complained about the use of the sheath, but it was totally allowed.

The next battle was going to start after a break. Mura’s eyes were widened at D’gerik’s performance all the time, so he could barely move from his seat. “… That was you,” he whispered to Kyuken, “That was your fighting style. Your sword style..!”

D'gerik swung his blade, performing a flourish before returning it to its sheath. He walked forwards, extending his hand to his downed opponent in an offer to raise him from the ground. When the offer was taken his other hand came up and placed itself upon Raymond's shoulder, dusting him off before the man received a smile and the words "This went so much better than I'd hoped!
I thank you for the wonderful performance on your part, and I can only imagine how much more powerful you are as a mage. Nice fight!"

The air was flurried with a slew of sounds from the crowds, from cheering, to surprised reactions, to downright booing and trying to convince the judges that D'gerik had broken the rules, but he had done no such thing. He never once possessed a second blade or even a second weapon. He merely utilized his primary weapon with both hands, and played to a tee the ancient art of Niten - the art of his ancestor and his direct heritage.

"I hope to meet with you again at a later point in time, although hopefully not on opposite ends of the battlefield, yes?" He chuckled, patting his opponent's shoulder and shaking his hand before moving on in return to the bleachers, a look of satisfaction upon him as he arrived and took his seat next to Mura so that the final section of the bracket could take place, allowing him a moment to relax before the next contestant as he turned his head slightly towards the young boy and his spirit companion and asked "Now then, where were we?"

"Oh, good job out there..!" Mura responded when D'gerik returned. His battle was nonetheless than marvelous, showing off a good chunk of his skills in swordsmanship. Raymond had to leave the battlefield with the thought of having found his superior, a rather dark cloud hanging aboveh is head. People were speechless by the result now, and the tournament just kept impressing them for each and every duel that happened. "... Hmh, I guess that I should just tell you now," Mura spoke as he moved Kyuken's spirit ball form towards D'gerik, trying to let the man see the similarity; bright, white hair, a tall face, deep eyes were just some of the traits that he inherited, "You said that you were from the Musashi clan, right? Because this might blow your mind."

Kyuken took his time looking at D'gerik, wondering of how the rest of his offspring were doing. After having spectated his skills, he didn't doubt that D'gerik was a clear descendant, and it sure brought a lot of honor and pride forth in him. He couldn't but smile a little as Mura continued: "This ghost right here is Kyuken. He's been a close friend and a valued companion for many years now, but... his true name is Musashi." He took a second of silence to let that sink in, letting D'gerik realize the situation. "... Why don't you try and bow to your ancestor? You know, good-old Midi style, hehe."

OOC: My stomach hurts, kill me