Four-Way Rumble! Jacogos vs. La Volpe vs. Beta vs. Cfavano

[Jacogos]

Arena: The Proving Grounds
Central Park

Rules and Regulations: (Meta)
1. This is a four-way Free-For-All. In the end there will be one, and only one, survivor.

2. Keep-away play is discouraged. Your character will find out just how discouraged it is if you disregard this warning. Keep in the fray at least every two or three posts.

3. God-modding and auto-hitting will not be tolerated. However, if a player is accused of such by another, the other two both must agree with the accuser for any repercussions to take place. First offense is a warning, second offense is character punishment, third offense is an auto-lose. In all cases, the offending player will re-write their post to better status.

4. In order to have a little bit of fun, I'm going to throw a potential 'game-changer' into the mix once we hit... let's say round 7 (rounds consisting of each player posting once, meaning every 4 posts is a new 'round'). I swear as GM that my character has no prior knowledge of this game-changer.

5. RPA's rules still apply here.

6. If it's not up here, it's allowed. However, please use tact; don't pull something you know is going to upset the others. These rules can and will be changed if deemed necessary.




The Roster

Jacob the Shade (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10331&p=437441&viewfull=1#post437441) - Jacogos

Matthew Lionheart (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39543&p=1403230&viewfull=1#post1403230) - La Volpe

Kirugetsu Hozuki (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=47159&p=1595803&viewfull=1#post1595803) - Beta

Alexis Murcione (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32258&page=2&p=1616358&viewfull=1#post1616358) - Cfavano




Posting Order
Determined by a d100 roll

Cfavano - 72
Beta - 54
La Volpe - 24
Jacogos - 9



The Proving Grounds was streaming more viewers than it had been a week ago when it had its Grand Opening matches. The announcement of a Battle Royale had drawn many an eye hungry for bloodshed to the Australian Outback Arena, as it was named by the nonbelievers. Many a better was making fortunes off of the matches held in the Proving Grounds, and the revenue from commercial advertisement was making the Omega Facility a killing.

Of course, none of this interested Kaizan. Jacob had called him here to act as an Overseer for today's match, one which the Shade would be participating in himself. Kaizan scoffed at that. Likely he had dragged in a bunch of mundane warriors that he could dice up easily and be done with it. The man was far too proud to risk being beaten in his own arena.

Although, Kaizan did remember seeing the roster. A ninja, a mutant, and a paladin didn't seem like the most powerful opponents at first glance, but Kaizan wasn't very confident in his judge of power at a glance. Mutants were by far the most unassuming, able to blend in anywhere if there mutation wasn't too visible. At least Jacob knew what he was dealing with with the Paladin. Or did he even know what he was facing? He was an honorable one, so he might have kept himself blind as the others would be.

Sighing, the winged man stood and adjusted the microphone that was attached to his shirt. Jacob couldn't have paid him enough to be doing this part. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Proving Grounds' first ever Battle Royale!" he roared in a clear, resounding voice. He wasn't used to barking like that, but Jacob said it was necessary. "Today we have gathered four stalwart warriors that will be pitted against each other in mortal combat, a deathmatch if there ever was one! Only one will come out alive, and maybe not even that!"

Pausing, Kaizan reviewed the names and such he was given and put them into order to give the speech the easiest flow. "First up, we have a mutant infected with the deadly Blacklight virus! Instead of dying, she came back a superhuman bent on ridding the world of life! Alexis Murcione!!" There might have been applause, but the entirety of the crowd did not actually sit in the arena's bleachers; instead, they were safe at home, watching on their televisions. So was the way of things these days.

"Next, a Shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Rain, this man is a fierce opponent that specializes in fighting with flesh-melting acid! Give it up for Kirugetsu Hozuki!!" Again, another pause for silence that should have been filled with applause.

"Our third competitor is a chosen warrior of a powerful Archangel. A paladin by any other name, Matthew Lionheart is here to purge the unclean and fight for the holy Church!" Kaizan tsk'd at himself. That one wasn't nearly as good. He might have to apologize to the man for a sub-par introduction. But then, he couldn't hear the words any more than the other three could.

"Finally, our very own patron of the Proving Grounds, the wielder of the Te Kage gauntlet and blademaster extraordinaire, I give you: Jacob the Shade!!" Much better. Still a bit of regret over the fumble with the paladin, but nothing to worry about. Settling back in the chair he was provided, Kaizan tapped the button on the armrest that signalled the match to begin. Jacob may have his fancy magic, but Kaizan would have to do things manually.



Below, the four fighters rose up into a colosseum very similar to the one in Ancient Rome. However, their arena appeared to be that for only a split second before everything around them changed. Instead of the dry Outback of Australia the four warriors were now in Central Park, each equidistant from the John Lennon memorial 'plaza' by about 10 feet and all facing towards it. Each stood at one of the cardinal directions, Jacob North, Matthew South, Kirugetsu East, and Alexis West. Other than that, they were all within sight of one another...

... and all the people who just saw them spawn out of nowhere. Most stopped to stare. A select few felt the tension in the air and quickly decided they'd rather be elsewhere. Insofar, no one panicked. That might soon change however.

This reality of New York might very well have its world forever changed as these four warriors prepared to do battle with each other. Only one would remain standing at the end of the day. Who would it be?


Cf goes first. Yes, Central Park is populated. Have fun with that ;) Please write a standard introduction first, no attacking. After I post, Round 1 will begin and the fight will truly get under way.

FIGHT!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAwWPadFsOA)

[Cfavano]

Alexis just stood there as she rose from the ground. Right now, she appeared completely human, if not a little pale, and she has the figure of a teenager. A 'hood' covered her eyes and most of her face, but still, she could see clearly. "Interesting." She says, non-nonchalantly. "A freak, a so-called ninja, and a Religious nut. They can see her smile. "Maybe this will be fun." She licks her lip with a tongue and inhales. "It all smells so real." She makes sure to study her three opponents, so she'd be able to track them if necessary. She cracks her knuckles, and the others can see things shifting underneath her 'clothes'. "I hate to break it to you all, but today is the day you all die."

[Salroka]

So they were to fight in a populated area, huh? Not that Kirugetsu enjoyed collatera... who was he kidding? The more wanton slaughter in a battle, the better. He eyed his opponents for a moment before one of them issued a threat. That was just cute. He drew his sword and swung it back and forth a few times as he spoke his next few words. "Adorable. Little girl, do yourself a favor and stow the threats. Else I might melt YOU into nothing before anyone else." The man's shark-teeth gleaned slightly as his lips formed a twisted smile. Live or die, he was sure to have an absolute blast this day.

His Hydrification was always engaged in combat scenarios, and this fight would be no different. It was, after all, the Hozuki Clan's trump card. Smile still on his face, Kirugetsu raised a small pink juicebox to his lips. For all intents and purposes it seemed like he was taking a drink. He was doing no such thing. In fact, he was filling the little container with several ounces of strong acid. No sooner did he finish, than he made a sickened face and looked at the container. "The hell? This is way more sour than it should be." He then tore the label aside and looked at the actual package. "Huh. No signs of tampering. Oh well." And with that he slapped the 'label' back on the box.

The label, of course... now had an explosive tag underneath it. The innocent little box was now an acidic grenade. No one would suspect such a trivial thing to be capable of melting flesh from bone. "So, who're you... he pointed at the one in shining golden armor first. "... and you?" the next one addressed was the cloaked figure. Stereotypical bad-guy garb, much? And lastly... "And then we come to the woman. Who are you, exactly?" asked the Hozuki, a hint of sarcasm and disdain in his voice. "For those of you who care, I'm Kirugetsu Hozuki. And as long as we're here..." his eyes narrowed and his grip tightened on his blade as he spoke. "... let's have a good fight, yes?"

He'd be prepared for their attacks. His sword was ready in case of a melee situation. But if it was a ranged game that was started, he could easily counter with a potent ninjutsu. Or of course... he could always dodge. Regardless, the stage was set and the combatants were introduced. After the courtesies were over, the fight would begin. One thing was certain... there would be blood.

[La Volpe]

Matthew kept his face blank of expression as he rose from the depths of the coliseum, but in a blink of an eye they were somewhere else entirely. " Interesting..." The paladin muttered to himself as he took in the new and alien landscape. His survey of his surroundings was cut short though, as he caught the bold threats from a rather unimpressive girl to his left. He looked the girl over, catching the slight shifting of her cloths as she cracked her knuckles. He was about to say something when from his right, a rather curious looking individual wielding a sword. Hardly amused by the display the man put on with his odd drink, Matthew casually gripped the hilt of his sword when the man asked who he was. "My name is Matthew LionHeart. He calmly answered, his eyes suddenly drew to the creature in front of him, his grip tightening quickly. "I agree with Kirugetsu, though it pains me to say none of you will be making it out of here alive." He added, a cold edge echoing in each word.

Sliding a foot back, Matthew readied himself for anything that might happen, be it a sudden attack, or any unknown element that may come from this strange place. Waht ever came next, the holy knight would be ready.

[Jacogos]

Enter the Demon... Jacob's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzbvcsNPEEE&list=PL4619CDF2FD0D8394)


Jacob smiled to himself as his masterpiece took them somewhere he had not been in many years hence. From the mural spanning the ground before them, Jacob knew exactly where they were on the globe, though anything else was lost to the fact that he really hadn't been here in... well, many years.

"Central Park looks lovely this time of year..." he murmured to himself, peering about with slow movements of his head. Cloak pulled up and obscuring his face, Jacob might've looked like a Nazgul straight from Tolkien's famous novels. Only, as the wind picked up across the ground, scattering leaves and litter in its wake, that midnight-black cloak of his failed to move whatsoever. Moving the cloak aside slightly with his left hand, Jacob rested the gauntleted appendage upon his sword's hilt, seemingly at ease with the entire charade that had brought the group to this soon-to-be battlefield. But then, he was at ease.

The shadow demon glanced at his opponents, taking in their words and appearances with the long-practiced skill of a man who could judge character and skill with but a few moments of study. Before him, a strikingly well-armored warrior who reeked of Paladin even without his shadows telling him that Light imbued his person. From this distance, the unnaturally dark mass of writhing figures at Jacob's feet were screaming in terror at the possibility of being attacked directly by the man. He would be dangerous, but only if he perceived Jacob as a threat worthy of using said magic on... The Shade was usually good at hiding his true nature.

His attention was next drawn to his right, an unassuming woman who's unnatural eyes made Jacob frown thoughtfully. One shadow crept closer to her and cried out in Jacob's mind shrilly. She was... more than human, it seemed. How so he could not tell without forcing the shadow closer, and he would regret showing them off so early. Her words made her appear very cocky, though. It would be foolish to think she could not back those words up, but Jacob was also sure of himself. Rare was the opponent who caught him off guard for longer than a few moments.

That left the man to his left. Dressed simply and giving a Japanese name, by the sound of it, Jacob pinned him as a samurai of some sort. Only, a shadow slipping a few feet closer to him felt massive stores of latent energy within him; perhaps a spell-sword? Jacob frowned deeper and noticed... well something as the man replaced the label of his juice box. Unconcerned with his words, Jacob had been watching close enough to catch the trace hint of sleight-of-hand, but to what end he could not say. This one would prove troublesome as well...

All in all, a very powerful group. Quickly thinking about what had already been said, Jacob acquiesced to introducing himself. With a flourishing bow fit for any court, the man's ice-cold voice filled the air before him. "You all might call me Jacob. I hope you enjoy yourselves today in my Proving Grounds; it will be a joy watching the recap and highlight reel when I get back home." He didn't say he would win, but there would be hell to pay if he allowed himself to die here. "Of course, just because this is my arena does not mean I have home field advantage. I know no more of this place than you do." Not a total lie; any of them might have been here before in their lifetimes.

Glancing at each warrior in turn, Jacob inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh, emptying his mind of worries as the match tilted towards beginning. This would be quite the fight. If only he knew who would be the biggest threat...




Alright. Let's begin.

[Cfavano]

"I don't think I'll say my name yet. You've not earned it. "But, now that we're all ready..." Leaving the word hanging like that would make one think that she was going to continue, but she did not. Instead, she rushed at Kirugetsu. One thing could have been said about her as she played her opening move. She was fast. Faster than any human could have gone. Before the camera could have even caught up with her, she was almost on top of Kirugetsu. Making a fist, she would then punch him square in the chest with enough force to send him flying back quite a bit. She would then chase his flying body, grabbing his robe, jumping on top of him, and apparently surfing on him, causing his body to grind against the stone. She would then jump off of him, which might cause him to crash into a statue or something, but continue following him. Had this worked, she'd be a small distance away from the other fighters, allowing them to focus on each other for a bit.

If that all happened she would grin as she slowly approach him, saying "Let's begin."

[Salroka]

WITH MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DccEL_Kc-Fo)

The two male fighters were polite enough, but the woman was quite a bitch. And just as expected, she seemed to take Kirugetsu's threat personally. "Like flies on shit." he thought to himself as the reckless fighter charged him. She was a bit faster than he gave her credit for, but not fast enough to stop him. Weaving a quick set of hand signs, Kirugetsu... took the punch right in the torso and went flying. But about a second after the yet nameless woman would approach Kirugetsu, his form was replaced with that of a nearby pedestrian. The normal human would likely be heavily injured or dead from such an assault. The Amegakure ninja however, was standing about ten yards from the memorial where they had all popped in, and a bit further north and east of where he had personally appeared.

"Oi. I'm all for killing. But I'm over here. Use your eyes, girly." He swung his weapon a few more times, seemingly to taunt his foe as he spoke. Little did any of them know that he was priming the weapon for a most deadly assault. That would come later, though. For now he decided instead to simply toy with his foe. Not so much for the sake of amusing himself, but instead to gauge her strength. She'd shown that she was quick and fairly strong, but was that all she had going for her?

Of course, he had to keep an eye on the other two. A single hand sign was made, and a perfect copy of the shinobi crawled it's way out of the ground. It was a water clone, made from the abundant groundwater in the park. Not quite as strong as the original, either. But despite that, it would do exactly what was needed of it. ”So, we gonna dance or are we gonna fight? Not that I'd dance with you. You seem a bit too bitchy for my liking.” Sure, the taunt may have been transparent. Sure, it may have seemed like Kirugetsu was just a blowhard. But it was all for a reason.

”So... who else wants to take a...” the clone made a gun shape with it's hand as it spoke. ”... shot? Corrosive Style: Acidic Pulse.” As the word 'shot' escaped the lips of the clone, a small and incredibly dense projectile rocketed from it's fingertip. The sickly green liquid flew toward Matthew, whom at the moment Kirugetsu felt was the weakest of the bunch. After all, culling the weakest from the pack was wise... lest they kill the top dog when it's weakened and tired. And what was a swordsman to a shinobi who was all but immune to melee attacks? Still... best not to let the competition know that if he could avoid it.

Of course, the original Kirugetsu had yet to take his eyes off of the woman who had attacked the hapless pedestrian so aggressively. She would probably continue her fruitless attack. Be the next one another melee attack or be it a ranged one, Kirugetsu would be prepared. All that his next assault would need was a single hand sign... and that could be done in well under a second. In the meantime, he would simply observe and avoid damage. Better to learn your foes moves and THEN murder them, than to charge in like an idiot and get yourself stabbed in the face.

[La Volpe]

Matthew had watched the women make her first move, slightly impressed by her speed and strength. Though he'd had his suspicions about her being more then an average women. He followed the pair as they soared through the air, only to see the ninja reappear near him and the other combatant. Hmm... Interesting, that has to be a useful trick, though a bit craven. The knight thought, his eyes narrowing in agitation as he watched a clone of the man sprouted up.

He shifted his weight to his back foot, readying his sword to strike, but it seemed that Matthew was going to be forced to play defense first. The ninja double turned towards him, calling out another challenger, which seemed to be him. From the clones hand, a bolt of an unknown substance suddenly rocketed towards the knight, almost to fast for him to deal with, almost. As the bolt neared him, Matthew pivoted on his heel, spinning a full 180 degrees, sadly though, the long cape he wore wasn't spared, as Matthew felt the attack punch through the heavy fabric, a serpent like hiss revealing what the substance was.

"Acid... How lovely." Matthew cursed, ripping the cape off and tossing it to the side. Standing straight, Matthew cracked his neck, never taking his eyes off of the attacker. "You chose wrong." Matthew growled, tearing his sword from its sheath. If Kirugetsu or Jacob had been watching the paladins face, they would have seen a savage grin suddenly split the otherwise calm face of Matthew, but they would have seen it for only a split second, as the immediate area around the three of them was suddenly consumed by blinding light.

The knight wasn't one to wait long after being attacked though, and he hoped he'd caught the ninja with the burst of light, because taking his bastard sword in a double handed grip, Matthew charged forward, intent on cleaving this clone in two, and following on to attack the real Kirugetsu. In the back of his mind, Matthew couldn't help but wonder what the third individual, Jacob, would do with this opportunity, would he attack him from behind? Or would he simply sit back and watch? He had no way of knowing for sure, but at the moment, he needed to focus on this acid spewing trickster, then worry about him and the unnatural women.

[Jacogos]

Hahaha, let's begin! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZODEhtOULQ)


Jacob frowned deeply as the scene unfolded before him, his gaze was averted from the paladin to watch his other two opponents begin the match with gusto. Though the mutant was quite capable and had speed to outmatch he himself, the samurai proved that he was by far the more clever of the two. What had happened was what made Jacob frown more, the revelation of what the man was, why his stores of energy were so familiar.

A fucking ninja-mage... Of course... he thought grimly, noting the water-clone with a sigh. He would be annoying, but now that he knew the nature of this particular opponent, he was sure he could more better focus on the other two. Not only that, but the man further proved his abilities by launched what soon proved to be acid at the paladin. That'll be annoying...

It was only by luck that Jacob was focusing his attention on the mutant now that spared him from looking directly at Matthew's flash of light. His shadows screamed in terror inside his head, a cacophony of fear that echoed dully in the confines of his mind. Growling irritably, he muted them with a thought. He knew very well that the paladin was an extremely terrifying prospect to fight against, which is why he would put it off for as long as possible, particularly given that he was content to close in on the ninja-mage. That left Jacob with the woman...

Noting the trajectory the paladin was charging and his speed, Jacob lunged forward as well. He picked the quickest route towards the mutant that would bring him within a foot behind the paladin as he charged. Not to attack, however, simply to offset the man, give him a moment to be hesitant. Jacob was nothing if not a demon, and demons were always ones for mind games. Smirking to himself, though the gesture was hidden by the shadows of his cowl, the Shade locked on to his target.

Te Kage flashed red momentarily and was swathed in flames only a second before Jacob raised his gauntleted left hand and launched a Fire Arrow at Alexis, leading her a bit if she was moving. He was also a very precise attacker, so it would hit unless she saw it coming. Of course, that was one of the easiest spells to aim. Without waiting to see if it would hit, Jacob drew Kokuou Kotonashi in a flash of steel and readied himself to engage the woman, still rushing for her.

[Cfavano]

She turns to face Kirugetsu and a smile flashes across her face, and he catches a glimpse of her blood-red glowing eyes. "I knew you were a ninja." She laughs at his taunt. "Dance? With you? Please. A pathetic human isn't worth my time, nor do I care about it's opinion. A fight, however, I'm completely game. That is, if you can keep up with me little boy."


The flash caught her off guard, but she covered her eyes quickly with her arm, but to avoid being caught off guard further, she sent out a Hunter's sense pulse. When the ping returned, it revealed Jacob firing a spell. She quickly looked up to see the flaming projectile flying towards her, and without lowering her arm, Her biomass shifted and within a split second, formed her arm into the Shield weapon. When the arrow hit the shield, it burst into flames, but the flames quickly died as it could not catch on the hardened biomass. As the shield disappeared, Jacob could see her other arm, and it changed as well. Stretching her arm outward, a clump of black tendrils lashed out.

If this attack hits, it would entrap him with sticky tendrils attached to trees like a fly caught in a spider web. It might even, because of the force, dislocate limbs, or even rip a limb off. Though, this was not nearly a certainty. Whether or not it hit, Her arms would change once more into the Claw weapon, and she would lunge at him like a predatory cat, seeking to slice him to bits with her sharp talons.

[Salroka]

Being disregarded by the shape-changing woman was more than Kirugetsu could have hoped for. Now someone else would have to deal with her foul temper and eager-to-die attack methods. A quick kill like her did little to excite his bloodlust, after all. And so Kirugetsu decided to toy with the magical knight guy in the shiny armor. Unfortunately, his clone was blinded by the blast of light that Matthew had let loose and was unable to stop itself from being cleaved in two. Splashing into the water it was created from, the clone was no more. Kirugetsu, however, had been focused on Alexis. This spared him from blindness and gave him a chance to react.

"Not half bad, man." said the Amegakure ninja as he turned to face his foe head-on. The follow-up attack by Matthew would connect, slicing cleanly through the body of Kirugetsu. But to what would likely be everyone's surprise, it wasn't blood and gore that spewed forth. A spray of water erupted from what should have been a bisected human body, and the wound that should have cleaved him in two was nowhere to be seen. "I'll let you off with a warning this time, knighty-boy." said Kirugetsu as he grasped the man's sword bare-handed. "Gotta think outside the box to best me in close quarters."

After sheathing HIS sword, Kirugetsu then clapped his free hand against the one holding Matthew's weapon, Kirugetsu smiled cheerfully. "Let's go for a ride, just you and me. Water Style: Water Shockwave!" Now, Matthew could easily pull his weapon free and try to run... but given the already close proximity that the two fighters were in, he wouldn't get very far unless he could somehow teleport. That said, a large vortex of liquid water spewed forth from Kirugetsu's mouth. Should Matthew remain in close quarters, both fighters would be sucked into the maelstrom. Should he flee, the technique would pursue him at Kirugetsu's discretion.

All in all, it was a very entertaining time so far for the man known as "Acid-Maw Hozuki". Live or die, he was just happy to finally be fighting someone other than ninja.

[La Volpe]

Matthew frowned as he felt water splash into him as he cleaved through the acid users double. He was even more confused as he succeeded in landing his follow through attack, meant to halve the trickster and put an end to his devious tricks. Instead of the warm spray of blood he'd been expecting to hit his face, the holy knight was suddenly doused with water. "What the hell...?" Matthew cursed as Kirugetsu grabbed a hold of his sword as if it were a play thing.

"Gotta think outside the box to best me in close quarters." The words hit Matthew like a slap in the face. He should have expected this kind of unnatural occurrence from an opponent like this. His confusion only grew as Kirugetsu clapped his free hand against the one holding Matthew's weapon, Kirugetsu smiled cheerfully. "Let's go for a ride, just you and me. Water Style: Water Shockwave!"

Instinct told Matthew to run, but a calm voice told his different. Ripping his golden sword from his opponents hands, Matthew backed up as the water began to fly, but he backed up only far enough to feel the warm embrace to the sun falling directly onto him. The warm sensation made the knight smile inspite of this very serious situation, and he even went as far as to close his eyes and raise his face to the sun, letting it kiss his already golden brown skin.

But the pleasure of the sensation was short lived, as Matthew opened his eyes, drawing in the light that shined down upon him, and beckoning it to aid him. The air behind him began to shimmer and from where there was once nothing, a large pair of transparent golden wings suddenly spread wide from behind the paladin.

With the faintest hint of a smile, Matthew launched himself into the air, his eyes never leaving Kirugetsu. I'll not fall for that snakes tricks again. The Golden Knight mentally promised, raising his sword skyward, drawing in more light to power himself for the quickly growing fight. A pang of anger echoed inside his head as he watched people scatter in terror of not only the other three combatants, but from the sight of himself as well. "They fear the one who'd save them all... What folly..." Matthew quietly said, a slight hint of sorrow in his otherwise calm voice.

[Jacogos]

Go for a ride, you say? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV-ULQEsdcg)


Jacob smirked to himself as the woman blocked his magic as he continued to charge forward. So she was a shapeshifter... Or... rather, she was using... his shadows, now more than close enough to begin reading the woman much better, told him it was indeed her own form she was changing at will, but it was not human-form. Instead, the woman appeared to be made of one solid mass of... tissue. This was a cursory scan by the shadows though, which Jacob intended to rectify once he was within melee range. There was no way this woman was just a living blob of... something. Of course, I've seen stranger... he admitted.

Putting the whole oddity out of his mind and his focus back towards running, Jacob watched as the woman launched... that something at him, in the form of tentacle-like blobs this time. It was an easy dodge; the trained warrior that was more than two centuries old quickly ducked into a roll towards his own left side, allowing him to hold out his sword as he did so without needing to go through the process of sheathing it again. It was a risky maneuver to the untrained, but Jacob had perfected that long ago.

As he rose back to his feet, Jacob came to notice that she was closing the distance herself, her hands now forming into large claws. Jacob's smirk faded into a façade of utter calm as he focused, his skill as a swordsman coming to play in the blink of an eye. Steel flashed and the sound of metal hitting metal rung in the air as Jacob attempted to grapple the woman by locking his blade with her claws in defense. His blade would then be held crossways in front of him and horizontal to the ground, the hilt to his right as the blade extended towards his left, holding back the woman's claws by a mere half-foot.

Digging in his feet against her strength, Jacob would take only a split moment to raise his gauntleted hand away from holding the blade to launch a Lightning Bolt point-blank at her. Afterwards, his left hand returned to its position holding the woman off, if she still needed to be.

[Cfavano]

As their attacks clashed, Alexis simply grabbed Jacob's blade with one of her claws, and it morphs back into her tendril power. She then began sending out tendrils which would begin sliding up and down the blade, firmly grabbing on to it. When he fired the lightning bolt, it blasted a small hole right though her. "That...hurt." She says, as the hole then begins closing, even the clothes reforming. By then, the tendrils would be heading up Jacob's arm. Not to consume him, for he was too strong to do that, and he would resist it. But they would dig into his flesh, grabbing and infecting him. This, however, would not happen if he simply let go of the handle. "You're a meanie." She says in a mockingly cute voice. Her other hand, still in the claw form would then, as the tendril arm is holding the blade steady, would be stabbed toward Jacob's abdomen, seeking to impale or disembowel him with the armor-piercing talons.

[Salroka]

Golden wings, eh? That's a new one. Would make getting around a lot easier, that was for sure. Might have to 'ask' the guy how he does that one. The forceful eruption of water had failed to damage the knight and instead caused a glorious cloud of spray to billow over the immediate area upon impact with the earth. Sunlight shone through it like a prism, rewarding everyone with the beautiful sight of a rainbow within the confines of the park. Kirugetsu chuckled a bit before speaking. "S'a neat trick, those wings. Maybe when this is all over, we can exchange techn... oh wait, everyone else but me will be dead. Well. Sucks for me." He DID actually want to learn the move, but a fight to the death limits the ability to learn an opponent's techniques.

"Here's another one of mine." Another single hand sign was made, and a cloud of steam erupted from the Hozuki's mouth. The only warning against the cloud's dangerous nature would be that a pair of birds flew through it as it approached Matthew. The poor creatures fell right out of the sky and began dissolving before even hitting the ground. Kirugetsu's "Corrosive Style" techniques were particularly deadly when there weren't any allies for him to worry about. After all... normally he would have to keep his students or peers out of the line of fire. But instead, this free-for-all allowed the shinobi to really cut loose.

This was a good day. And Kirugetsu wasn't about to let it end. He kept his hand on his weapon, just below the hand-guard... ready to carve deeply into anyone that approached in melee range. And in case of a ranged attack, there was always his high-speed trump card.