"I wanted them to end quickly is the thing, but I may've overdone it, and I messed up on that last one."

He wouldn't have minded if Ryan quit, but he was clearly the kind of man that fought to the bitter end, no matter what it takes. It was admirable in one way, but not so great in another. What surprised Niko was that, with the preliminaries over, she was actually unsatisfied and feeling cheated in her wins. Niko smiled as she mentioned personal junk and introduced herself.

"Nah, it's just a nickname. I'm Niko, and I'm in the military, usually working in stealth and in the dark."

He offered her a handshake, glad to finally meet someone he hadn't freaked out with his sudden, forceful attacks.

Thanks to the incredible medical team, all the victors were able to wake up in the morning feeling like new. Even broken bones had been mended. Today would be decision day. Only one person would walk away from this undefeated. Even still, just making it this far was enough for many contestants. They would all be walking away with a cash prize, but the more rounds you survived, the more your money grow, exponentially.

The tournament grounds were already starting to fill up with people who had stayed on the island's hotels. A few enthusiasts were already sitting in their seats, even though the tournament wasn't set to start for another two hours.

Inside the main building, in a separate dinning room from the public, the sixteen remaining contestants were sitting around a large dinner table. It was customary to have a silent breakfast with everyone together, before being excused to prepare for the opening ceremonies. And so, everyone started standing from their spot at the table. They would have one hour to themselves or to socialize, before they would need to gather back in the same room where the preliminaries were held.

The stadium surrounding the arena was almost full. Even with assigned, pre-purchased seats, everyone wanted to be early. And even though the stadium was outside in the open air, the excitement of the crowd seemed to echo, as they spoke to one another in anticipation. The ring itself was empty.

Inside the main building, where the preliminary rounds were held, the remaining sixteen combatants stood on one of the four miniature arenas. Per tradition, a tournament employee turned large lottery wheel, with white plastic balls inside. When a number would fall out, he would then write the number on a large chalkboard behind him. Once all the numbers were on the chalkboard, he revealed the name of the person attached to each number.

By the time this quiet ceremony was finished, it was ten minutes till the first round...

It was a good thing that all previous injuries - be they serious or not - had been mended. Niko had awoken today displeased with himself. He ate breakfast in silence, bombarded by his own thoughts about yesterday. He'd made it through the preliminaries, but he'd been sloppy. At least, that was the young soldier's estimate. One could say that a career combatant's measure of self was that of a man on a razor's edge, each perceivable flaw weighing down his overall efficiency, a mistake made that - in a serious battle - could cost lives. You don't go into the service without thinking like that, and if you don't, then you might not make a very good soldier. Or worse, you could be an excellent soldier as far as killing goes, but lose your humanity in the process. In any case, he felt like that wild man had exposed holes in his method of combat, making it exploitable. Niko wasn't certain, but he felt like it jeopardized everything he was here for.

He spent his hour preparation alone, practicing some of his moves and trying to regain some confidence in his well-honed skills. He had capabilities, skills that definitely set him apart from other people. That much was clear in his presence here. This was, after all, the World Martial Arts Tournament! Even if those who qualified among him here were just a fraction of the fighting community, it meant that he was ahead of most people on the planet! That should mean something, shouldn't it?

Yeah, it means don't get TOO confident. Cocky attitudes get you killed.

He trained himself a bit, getting the body oriented for combat, and then reported with the others as the balls with their numbers were chosen. As Niko watched, he started thinking of Angela. He didn't want to face her too soon. She really seemed to enjoy this event, and it wouldn't be right to inflict her with his serious-as-hell personal mission, at least not until later, assuming they won their fights. The young soldier now waited for the results of the drawing...

"Nah, it's just a nickname. I'm Niko, and I'm in the military, usually working in stealth and in the dark."

He offered his hand to her and Angela accepted the handshake. "At least someone here is willing to have a casual conversation." She said as they went their separate ways, right now it was time to rest before the actual fighting starts.

The next morning was spent in silence as Angela ate her breakfast with the other fighters. These people were her competition, the true fight. Niko seemed like he might be the biggest challenge for her yet, he was stronger than what she noticed during the preliminaries that's for sure. It was only after breakfast where she stood with the others in front of a lottery wheel. The man in charge was spinning it and writing the numbers as they fell onto a chalkboard. Angela could only tap her foot anxiously, she glanced around the room at the other fighters. Who was her first opponent going to be?

Thirty minutes later, at high noon, the ceremonial gong was rang for the first time. This signaled the first two fighters to emerge from the main building and take their places in the arena. Waiting for them in the middle was a well dressed announcer with bright orange hair that shined because of all the hair products holding it up.

The first combatant to emerge from the building was the large man known as Rhine. The man won all his preliminary matches with hardly a scratch, and strangely enough, all his opponents lost without much more damage. The reason why? He won all his matches by ring out. A master of Tai-Chi with the body of a brute, and most impressive of all, he won all his matches with a smile.

The second was Bakuto...

Rhine's quiet energy combined with Bakuto's sudden shift in tone made for one intense moment. The crowd could feel the intensity too, because for a brief moment the entire stadium went quiet. Then, the gong rang once more. The match had begun.

Neither combatant rushed into battle, it was more of a careful sizing up of the opponent, especially for Rhine. He stepped forward, one well placed step at a time. He knew this match would be harder than the rest, not only because the opponent was better than the others, but also the arena was bigger. It would be harder to win by ring-out. He might have to go about this differently.

-Tai-Chi Basics
-Total Power Available: 70
-- Attack 20
- Speed 20
--- Defense 30

The beginning of the match was well calculated, with both sides sizing each other up. In the end, it was Bakuto that came out on top. Careful not to leave any openings for the Tai-Chi master, Bakuto was able to land multiple hits. At the same time, none of these hits were critical.

Bakuto blocks all damage and only takes three recoil damage.
Rhine takes five damage from Bakuto's attacks and two recoil damage, taking seven damage total.

---

Seeing that his opponent had much more to offer than anyone before, Rhine decided to take this match more seriously. He didn't charge forward, but his steps were much more direct. He couldn't win by being defensive the whole time.

-Tai-Chi Offensive Serious
Remaining Health: 63
Available Power: 66
-- Attack 20 x2 = 40
- Speed 16
--- Defense 30

As the match continued, the crowd began choosing sides and growing in volume. They chanted both combatants names and roared when their fighter landed a solid blow. Unfortunately for Rhine's fans, they had little to roar about. No matter what he did, Bakuto stayed one step ahead of him. And the longer they fought, the larger the difference between them grew.


The fighting came to a stand still. The air was frozen. At least, that's how it felt for Rhine, when he found himself with just a few feet of distance between him and Bakuto. He had to change his tactics, this was going nowhere fast. It was time to return to his element. No more running around, trying to match this man's speed. Instead, he would wait for the opponent to come to him. He would wait all day if he had to, and he would attack when the time was right.

-Tai-Chi Counter Measures Serious
Remaining Health: 33
Available Power: 50
-- Attack 20 x2 = 40
- Speed 0
--- Defense 30

As Bakuto circled Rhine, the crowd grew more and more quiet in anticipation. Everyone could tell the same things, that this final attack would decide the fate of the battle. And they were right...


The stadium roars for Bakuto, as Rhine falls to the ground unconscious!

The awaited results came in, and he could see the tournament brackets posted on a wall. It actually gave him some relief for two reasons. First, the returning champion was in the first half instead of the latter, where he was, and that would mean he could study him when he fought without having to worry about him until maybe the finals. Of course, the champ could also do the same with him, but the advantages of knowing the man's style far out-weighed the chance of him studying him. There was so much more TOO learn from Michael Miocic.

Anyway, his second relief was that if he and Angela were to face off at all, it would only be in the semi-finals. Hoenstly, he wanted to be able to enjoy this, be more laid-back like his brother, but he couldn't. The first real chance at getting a proper investigation underway... The money would pay for such an investigation, and if he actually became the World Martial Arts Champion, any case erupting from the information gathered would become so high-profile that the world would be set on its ear and out for blood against the Martian Mining Corporation. The loss would be paid in full and his family would be vindicated.

But that was in the future. Right now, the tournament was getting a move on and Niko stood close to ringside, waiting for the first official match to begin. According to the listings, it was Rhine VS someone called Bakuto. Niko regretted not paying attention to the other fighters before now. In the Preliminaries, there were just too many people to really notice all the rising stars. He could not forget that those who won their fights today would be known as eight of the strongest people in the world. Now, he HAD seen a little of Rhine fighting, because he'd been very quick. The man exuded confidence and even a smile. More to the point, he was a strong man with enough style to send people out of the ring very quickly. He waited to see what would transpire between him and Bakuto. Surely now, that they were down to the sixteen, it would be more difficult for him...

Bakuto was excited, eager even. Like Angela, he was enjoying this. Who knows? Maybe this would be a fun fight, since both opponents were in high spirits. After all, he was the serious one. Maybe I should cool down a little, try to enjoy myself. He flagged someone down for a drink as it got started. The ring was bigger and the two of them were not being reckless. Rhine was feeling this one out for now, waiting for his opponent to move. Niko was worried about something like this. He'd been rather quick and offensive in his own fights, and defensive opponents might be prepared for that. In a flash, then, they attacked each other, a flurry of blows! Bakuto seemed to jump right in there and open up, not strong but swiftly to get in the first hits, keep his own damage to a minimum! And right from there, Bakuto was suddenly leaping around, avoiding all attacks from the strong man's counter-attack.

He's quick, too quick for Rhine. It may take him a while to wear 'im down, but it might just happen that way. It's how I SHOULD be doing things...

The swifter opponent revealed that the way Niko had been trying to win the Prelims was more like how he seemed to fight in reality. He was greater in the attack and speed. Niko had been trying to fight that way, but his concern for opponents wearing him out too early caused him to incorrectly focus and he'd been overcompensating. Rhine was soon taken down by the very real gap in ability. If Bakuto was this strong, what was the champion like?

Following Bakuto's epic victory, the tournament only got more intense from there...

The second match of Round 1 was between the two MMA world champions, a highly anticipated match indeed. Jackson, the champion of the men's division was the overall favorite, but his opponent Fantasia was not to be taken likely. In fact, despite the size difference between the two, the match was quite even. For every high powered move Jackson pulled out, Fantasia countered with blinding speed. Still, when Jackson's attacks did hit, they did more damage. In the end, it was Jackson by a hair.

The third match of Round 1 was between the King of Europe himself, the kickboxer named Wallace, and his opponent Lee, a relatively unknown martial artist from Asia. While Wallace had a larger fan base going into the match, there were rumors surrounding Lee, heroics about him saving small villages and towns from multiple invaders. At the beginning of the match, things seemed even, with both combatants going toe to toe, matching each other's moves almost perfectly. Then, all of a sudden, Lee struck Wallace with an attack that sent him flying out of the ring, even though his punch appeared to stop short a good foot in front of Wallace's chest.

The fourth match was the most highly anticipated match of the round, not because of the reputation of both fighters, but more so, the reputation of one, Micheal, the reigning champion. He had one the last two tournaments, making him the champion for ten years running. A master of every known martial art (as well as a few unknown ones), his name had become synonymous with victory. His opponent was Ivanik a mysterious fighter with a dark aura, rumored to be a killer. Their match began with a flurry of blows. Between Micheal switching between fighting styles and Ivanik's unpredictable yet calculated movements, this match was looking to be much closer than anticipated. That was until Micheal retreated to the corner of the ring in a mad dash. There, he took a deep breath with closed eyes. Ivanik tried to attack in this moment, but when his fist was mear inches from Micheal's face, the savvy champion moved his head just enough to avoid the attack and get in close for a dangerous match ending blow. Despite being hit multiple times, Micheal walked out of the arena without any signs of damage, while his opponent was left on the ground twitching.

After a brief intermission, the tournament continued with another highly anticipated match, the first, and only guaranteed, "girl fight". In one corner, Rica stood quietly, another mysterious martial artist. She was seen talking to Lee multiple times backstage. In fact, neither one of them spoke with anyone besides each other, but their conversations were always short and under hushed breaths, making their relationship as mysterious as themselves individually. Sammy, on the other hand, was a much more "known factor". She grew up with a dark past as a backroom cage fighter in the USA, eventually becoming a dangerous name on the international stage. Then, one day she retired from that life and began to use her skills to break up their dark industry she became so famous for. This match, between these two female warriors, was very intense, but again, it was the mysterious martial artists that won. Rica walked off the stage with many cuts and bruises, but at least she could walk.

And then there was the sixth match. In one corner, there was Niko, the wiry, relatively unknown youth with a hazy past. In the other corner stood Kyro, an up and coming legend in the martial arts world, following in the footsteps of his master... Micheal, the champion himself....

Athena: So, how's it going?
Niko: It's going.
Athena: Fantasia wasn't bad. I'd put more money on Rica, myself. She looks alot more collected an individual.
Niko: You'd know. Wait, are you taking bets on this?
Athena: Couldn't hurt. Don't say nothing, okay?
Niko: Yeah, alright. Just...don't lay any bets on my matches. I dunno if that's right to do...
Athena: Niko, lighten up! It's just a friendly wager or two. And besides, if I wasn't willing to bet on my own student, even take the loss with dignity if you fell, what kind of teacher would I be? Now, calm yourself down, study your opponents, and try to kick some ass!
Niko: Okay, okay. I will.

To be fair, he had been watching the fights with interest, or maybe as though his life depended on it. True, there was no thought of dying here, but he had to give this tournament the seriousness it deserved, if not for his reasons, then for the importance accorded to the very event. And so, he watched as Jackson hunkered down and took the blows from Fantasia, waiting his chance to strike back and take victory in a patient brawl. Then, he saw the King of Europe get knocked out of the ring all of a sudden, and Niko's eyes were like 'What the hell?!' as he stared at Lee. True, Wallace was a more dedicated leader than fighter, but he'd made it into the tournament proper.

I guess these are the moments that really draw out the hidden potential of the fighting community. God damn...

Then, of course, all eyes were on the Champ's first bout of the Tournament. As returning Champion, Michael was able to skip the Preliminary fights, so nobody had had a chance to see how well he was fighting lately, as opposed to his win five years ago. The match between him and Ivanik began suddenly and forcefully, the two opponents taking and giving blows. Michael kept switching combat styles in the middle of the fight to change the flow of battle. What surprised Niko was how he managed to do it so naturally, so seamlessly. This was going to be tough for him, if he made it that far. That said, whatever Michael's skill, at least he was lucky enough not to have to face it now, like Ivanik. One thing that really stuck out, though: Michael's speed. He had the focus and control to get in close to an opponent after having dodged a punch by a small margin. Niko felt he could possibly achieve that sort of feat if he tried, but he was untested in that regard. He preferred to by completely out of an opponent's threat area in terms of an incoming attack than anything else.

Michael had won and next came Rica and Sammy. Okay, let's see if Athena was right, then. Sammy was a cage fighter, vicious and brutal, and Rica was completely unknown, except perhaps to Lee. Perhaps they were past opponents somewhere? Trained together? Who knows? Niko watched carefully and...yeah, he could see it too. Rica was collected and capable. More to the point, when she took damage, she seemed to have the focus to ignore it in the moment and react to Sammy quickly and dangerously. Rica walked out with cuts and bruises, but otherwise intact. And that left his match now. He was fighting...

Oh shit... I forgot!

...another protege'. Win or lose, it was he who Athena had chosen to carry on her skills into the new generation. Maybe he wouldn't be her only true student, but he was the first, and facing him now was a man called Kyro...who trained under Michael Miocic himself. He was nervous for a moment, but then...he stopped. All of a sudden, the tension released, and it wasn't because he was told to or because of his training or what have you. He just realized that...making it up here was an achievement beyond anything he thought possible for himself, and anything he learned from this tournament could only benefit him. He was standing in a ring before a man trained by the Champion, looking to perhaps surpass the Champion himself. Standing here like this, his other problem - the reason he came here, initially - didn't seem so difficult. Not in the face of those who could move in the blink of an eye, at any rate.

Alright... Let's see what I can really do.