Drama Enter the Dragon

ENTER THE DRAGON

The year is 1987. The world has been swept with Martial Arts Mania, all the moreso when the news hit.

The Grand New Age MMA Tournament. Reserved for those with... the gift.

Superhuman strength and Ki, the ability the harness the body's energy into magnificent power.

It's you who have that gift, and it's you who'll become the greatest fighter to have ever lived, and this tournament will prove it. The prize? 55 billion yen, and the title of champion.

An unknown corporation, seemingly springing out of the blue, sent flyers to every corner of the globe, thirsting for the strength of these supernatural beings. Finally, the time has come...

...To test your might.


---​

Character Sheet

Name:
Age:
Nationality:
Appearance:
Height:
Weight: (will be greater than usual, as the muscle density these people control is much greater than an average humans)
Style: (Here you enter the preferred martial arts your character uses. Keep in mind you may adopt an MMA style, favouring one aspect of such, while also having skill in the others, whereas focusing on one will give you a much higher skill in that style)
Ki Proficiency: (None/Low/Medium/High - detailed in the Library Thread)
Ki Element: (Typically Neutral - Though you may choose from the list detailed in the Library Thread)
Bio:

---
Earth, 1987. The world, captivated by martial arts media, is about to witness the greatest tournament ever to unfold. Around the globe, humans have been born, seemingly out of the blue, with something called the gift, which grants the holder with superhuman strength, speed, and ki, energy which is harnessed from the body. Something that only appeared forty years ago.

You will be playing one of these beings, and you received a flyer advertising details of the "Greatest Tournament the World Will See." The Tournament, held in Tokyo, Japan, has gathered the most powerful gifted from every continent on the land, but in the end, only one will be the victor.

The Tournament follows the swiss-system, allowing for everyone to fight in nine matches, before the most successful will fight for the title of Champion.

For more details regarding the world and the gifted, consult the library thread here.
---
​

Rules:
1. Obey the TOS, as per usual.
2. No godmodding or auto-hitting against other Gifted. Humans, however, can have some lenience, and simply requires PMing your post to the GM.
3. Character death is possible.
4. PM all Character Sheets to the GM.
5. Please create an original character.
6. Have fun.

 

GM Approved

​

Name: Kujo Takahashi
Age: 24
Nationality: Japanese
Appearance:

​

Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 195 lbs
Ki Proficiency: High
Ki Element: Neutral
Style: Muay Thai. Kujo utilizes a number of techniques, combining Ki with his knowledge of Muay Thai to great effect. Kujo focuses on swift, fast motions to tire his opponent. As Ki is still relatively new to the world this modified style is still very experimental and as such Kujo is sure not to reveal the full range of his moves too soon.

Bio: From a young age Kujo Takahashi loved to fight. He would frequently get into brawls with the kids at his school. His father getting wind of this oddly decided not to scold the boy. Even at such a young age, it was noted that Kujo was stronger and swifter than the other children, his abilities being recognized by his father as something to be developed. Thus he was taught Muay Thai as an outlet to prevent him from picking further fights. His progress would move swiftly, his teacher amazed at how quickly Kujo was developing both physically and in skill.

However, it could not all last. Once it was discovered that Kujo was one of the 'gifted' he was barred from competing in any events, thus his main outlet was taken away from him. This frustration was only further compounded when his parents divorced halfway through his time at high school.

As a result, the well-meaning but angsty teen would fall back into his old habits become a high school delinquent that liked nothing better than to drink and fight. This cycle of behavior would continue, dissatisfied with how weak everyone was around him. Kujo would practice his Ki techniques alone. Despite his failing grades, he has a shrewd mind able to incorporate his newfound powers into his fighting style. Still, no one was worthy to use them on. After all, they would likely die if he tried to use them in an actual fight.

Once he found out about the tournament for the gifted he was ecstatic. Finally, he would be able to fight equals and test the true extent of his power.

 

Name: Real name unknown/ Ash Armitage ( alias )

Age: Probably 19

Nationality: European

Appearance:

Height: 5’ 10”

Weight: 205 lbs.

Style: Ash has trained from childhood in Hun Gar Kung Fu ( Tiger Crane ), Ninjutsu/ ninpo, Aikido and Judo.

Ki Proficiency: High Level Proficiency / Tri-Harmony Qigong Technique.

Ki Element: Neutral Ki and Lightning Ki.

Bio: Even in his earliest memories, Ash recalls only his handler, the dark monks and endless rigorous training in martial arts. There were others like him, who did not look like the monks, but he seldom saw them. His formal education also came from the secretive group whom he would later know to be the Kalimatra. It wasn’t clear if they were allies or enemies of the White Lotus Society as their relationship seemed to change time and again.

To refine his fighting skills, Ash was made to participate in many secret fighting pits and underground Vale Tudo tournaments all over the world. Unsurprisingly, he excelled as he possessed a fierce focus and desire to best all his opponents.

In due time, Ash realized that he was being trained to become a young assassin, specifically one who was sent against targets all over Europe and the Americas.

This was his life, as he knew no other way of living.

During his continued training, it was discovered that Ash was ‘Gifted’. A fact that not only intensified his training, but also saw him under the tutelage of a new instructor, who revolutionized his fighting prowess and understanding of Ki; the least being how to properly balance his energy between mind, body and spirit. Ash was taught to literally ‘see’ how Ki flowed in all living things. How to heal, how to block the flow, how to disrupt it, and ultimately how to kill. He was even promised to learn secret and advanced techniques as he grew stronger.

In essence, the young ‘Gifted’ star was ascendant. Having learned how to augment his speed, his strength, and his vitality, as well as a plethora of offensive and defensive Ki techniques, Ash was able to quickly gain a near perfect mission ratio, as well as a deadly moniker: Black Ash.

He had become the pride of the Kalimatra and the envy of other secret organizations.

And so Ash’s reputation continued to grow, until one fateful day.

Ash had been given a high level target to terminate. The Op should have proceeded smoothly, however, Ash was ambushed by a veritable army. His target came out to gloat, even to the point of identifying him. Though wounded, Ash was able to exploit an opening in the ranks and attacked the target, delivering a fatal blow, which the target regenerated before his eyes.

If it weren’t for him unleashing his Lightning Storm attack, he would have never escaped with his life.

Reaching the secret base where he trained took far longer that expected, given his condition, however, when he finally reached it everyone had been slaughtered.

It had all been an elaborate trap. But a trap set by who?

Ash disappeared after the incident and laid low for sometime, emerging only to participate in random tournaments, here and there. However, upon learning of the ‘Greatest Tournament the World Would See’, hosted by the mysterious NAMMA Corporation, Ash finds himself both intrigued and invested. Perhaps, there he would meet worthy challengers, but more importantly, ( though it was a long shot ), discover clues as to who was behind the massacre of the Kalimatra and why?

 

GM Approved

Name: Johnathan Giovanna
Age: 25
Nationality: Britain
Height: 6'6
Weight: 300lbs
Style:​

Johnathan has traveled the world and incorporated a hybrid version of Boxing from some of the best boxing champions in history. One such boxer includes Mamorou Takamura, who at one time held world championship belts for 6 different weight classes. Johnathan mainly utilizes three different boxing styles;

Orthodox Style

(Orthodox Stance)​

Orthodox Boxing Styles are methods of fighting in the ring that nearly all boxers apply. They are In-Fighting, Out-Boxing, and Hybrid boxing.

Hitman Style


(Hitman stance)​

This stance has the user's left arm hanging near the waist while the right arm is closely drawn to the chest area. The low position of the left arm allows it to execute jabs faster. Johnathan Giovanna combines this style with the Flicker Jab to form a very efficient advantage against most boxers.

However, the stance leaves the left side open. Johnathan relies primarily on his reach to keep in-fighters outside of this range and uses an Elbow Block to cover his exposed left.

Brawling Style:

(Brawling Stance)​

A brawler is a fighter who generally lacks finesse and footwork in the ring but makes up for it through sheer punching power. Many brawlers tend to lack mobility, preferring a less mobile, more stable platform and have difficulty pursuing fighters who are fast on their feet. They may also have a tendency to ignore combination punching in favour of continuous beat-downs with one hand and by throwing slower, more powerful single punches (such as hooks and uppercuts). Their slowness and predictable punching pattern (single punches with obvious leads) often leaves them open to counter punches, so successful brawlers must be able to absorb substantial amounts of punishment.

Brawlers tend to be more predictable and easy to hit but usually fare well enough against other fighting styles because they train to take punches very well. They often have a higher chance than other fighting styles to score a knockout against their opponents because they focus on landing big, powerful hits, instead of smaller, faster attacks. Often at times they place focus on training on their upper body instead of their entire body, to increase power and endurance. They also aim to intimidate their opponents because of their power, stature and ability to take a punch. A brawler's most important assets are power and chin (the ability to absorb punishment while remaining able to continue boxing).

Ki level: Medium
Ki type: Light elemental
Ki Mechanics: Johnathan has been trained in the way of Hamon or the ripple.

(The Ripple in action)
​

The Ripple is an ancient Chinese martial art form that relies on two things, the sun, and the ability for the user to breathe. As to use the ripple is to utilize and absorb the power of the sun to strikeout against any abominations of nature, such as those with corrupted souls or the undead.

The ripple can be helpful outside of these circumstances and can enhance the capabilities of seemingly useless objects by having their energies transferred onto them. Bubbles can be turned into razors, and strands of hairs can be used to block bullets.

However, a weakness is that Johnathan must breathe a specific way to utilize this power, meaning if that breathing is disrupted, then his connection to the technique is lost.

Another weakness is that the power is circumstantial; the boost gained from using this power depends on many factors, such as the time of day and if the user is indoors and outdoors.

If the circumstances are perfect (i.e., Very sunny and the user is outdoors.)

The ripple can enhance the user's strength to the point where they can break steel with their bare hands. However, if it's nighttime, then there are not many benefits it can provide aside from its versatility.

If an opponent is hit by a user of the ripple, then they will feel dizzy and a burning sensation (the severity varies depending on the conditions above.)

Bio:​

Johnathan Giovanna is the son of a wealthy aristocrat named George Giovanna who is currently terminally ill with tuberculosis, however, despite Johnathan being George's only son, George refuses to name Johnathan as his heir as he feels that Johnathan is too immature and too entitled. This revelation broke Johnathan's heart and he runs away from his estate and spent 10 years wandering the world as a destitute traveler, only spending money on traveling to different countries via boat travel.

During this time Johnathan learned the technique of the ripple and the various boxing styles from his retired mentor Mamoru Takamura

(Takamura during his prime)​

After learning everything from Takamura, Johnathan ventured out into the world again seeking a new experience, however, the news would come by fast as he heard of a tournament where only the strongest could thrive, even death was a possibility. Johnathan saw this as an opportunity to prove once in for all that he was the opposite of the man that his father thought him to be.

 

Enter the Dragon
---


---​

They could see the city now, a warm glow of city lights in the darkness, as the plane drew closer to the destination.

Tokyo. The city of their dreams. This is where it was going to happen.

The plane, owned by NAMMA Corp., was packed with fighters. All of them came from vastly different backgrounds and places, but they were all united by their gift. By their goals.

Most couldn't help get excited. Butterflies in their stomachs as the plane swam down to the ground. There was a small ding as the PA system addressed the fighters.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. As we approach our destination, I would like to remind you all to have your seatbelts fastened and avoid any sudden movement. We'll be arriving at the NAMMA Corp. Private Airfield, and there you'll find your private vehicles which will transport you to where you will be staying. We hope you enjoyed your flight and thank you for travelling with NAMMA Private Airlines."

There was a general buzz of anticipation in the air. Nearly everyone on the planet had their eyes on the occupants of the planes that had been shuttling contestants to Tokyo for the tournament.

The plane glided to the ground, then... touchdown.

They were here. People began to stand, shuffling off the plane, and stepping outside to the airfield, where a long line of black limousines would wait, taking each individual fighter and driving off. Each was equipped with the best accommodations money could ask for. Champagne, exquisite snacks, and bottles of Pocari Sweat, a sponsor of the New Age MMA tournament. The air conditioned cars would refresh the fighters from the hot climate of the outside. The summer night had been ruthless in terms of heat, beating down on the inhabitants of the city throughout the course of the day.

It took 10 minutes from the airfield to their accommodation, and to be disappointed at the view would be a miracle.

​

The headquarters of the New Age MMA Organization, a subsidiary of NAMMA Corporation. This was the most ambitious construction that the company had ever undertaken, and they weren't joking when they had revealed the specifications of the behemoth of a building. Limousines poured in from all directions. Some from the various flights, others from around the country, gathering those who already lived in Japan before recruitment. They would all slow to a halt and allow for their occupants to exit.

Ahead of them, far above, was a balcony with a man standing with his hands in his pockets, looking down at their gathering crowd with a wide smile on his face. Several projector screens, set up on the face of the building, would be zoomed in on this man, like the contestants were gathered at a concert of a huge act.

​

His voice would then ring out, amplified by dozens of speakers set up around the building, calling out to the contestants.

"Champions!" Roared the man, his low resonance and gravelly voice adding greater emphasis to his words.

"Welcome to Tokyo! I, Ryuji Nishikiyama, President of NAMMA Corporation, am beyond glad that each and everyone of you accepted the invitation to join us for such a legendary tournament."

He paused, looking down, and allowing his words to be processed by the crowd.

"I shan't talk for long, as I know many of you must be exhausted from your journey, and will need all the rest you can get for the coming days. Inside this building, you will be directed to your lodgings. Beyond this, there are multiple gyms, pools, and lounges to fulfill all your needs. I must, however, ask that you do not leave your various rooms once guided to them until 8.00AM tomorrow. This is merely due to security reasons, and will fall into place every night at 10.00PM."

He cleared his throat, before bowing towards the crowd.

"I wish you all luck, and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow."

He then stopped, and turned his back to the crowd, stepping back inside the building.

To Jonathan Giovanna, an elderly man with good form would approach.



"Good evening, sir. I am to be your guide and take you to your room during your stay. My name is Arthur Kingsman. Though you may address me however you like." He would inform in a high-class English accent, tailored specifically to Jonathan.

To Ash Armitage, a young man with long black hair would approach.



"Hello, Armitage-sama. I will be serving as your guide throughout your stay with us at NAMMA Corporation. My name is Tomura Akiyama. You may call me Tom, for short." He introduced, his English excellent but lined with a noticeable Japanese accent.

To Kujo Takahashi, a young Japanese man would approach.



"Takahashi-san? I am Yuri Morimoto. I'll be showing you the ropes around NAMMA Corps' training facilities. If you'll follow me, I can show you to your room."

As the fighters would enter the entrance hall, they would be met by a dazzling sight of gold and red. The walls and floors, save for the red carpet paths, would be a shining gold colour, illuminated by the warm chandeliers. Directly ahead of the entrance would be a hulking bronze statue of two fighters locked in combat, with two staircases curling around the statue.

The three of them would all make their way to the same floor at various times. By chance, all three of them ended up to be neighbors, with their rooms being closely situated.

As they would make their way to Floor 32, they would pass various infomercials regarding the tournament, with soft spoken voices spewing facts about the event. Each guide would inform that any room beyond Floor 89 is strictly off-limits during the tournament.

The interior of the building was beyond impressive, maintaining the appearance of a high-class hotel. The halls continued a theme of red carpets and gold walls. Chandeliers were present in almost every room of the building.

The rooms themselves had no expense spared. Each had a luxurious bathroom, bedroom, kitchen space, and living room. In the bedroom, fighters' would find their luggage, along with two bottles of Pocari Sweat, two sets of towels, and a navy blue NAMMA Corp. tracksuit. Various guides informed them that they would arrive back at their rooms at 6.00AM sharp, and take them to the tournament briefing where they would receive their first match info.

After a long journey, it had finally begun. The tournament that would change their lives.

@greyjedi125 @Narancia @Shadowsun

OOC: While the game has technically begun, I will be accepting any further character sheets until the first match, when the game will close to any new players.

 

IC: Kujo Takahashi
Arriving

During the entire plane ride and journey, Kujo could not help but fidget in excitement. His whole life he had waiting for the day where he could fight someone, really go all out without killing or seriously hurting them, and to hear that there were others like him... it was a dream truly fulfilled. He had managed to throw together a suit, it was a little crumpled and worn but he had made the effort and that's all he really cared about.

​

He would find it hard to listen to the man named 'Ryuji Nishikiyama' as Kujo was too busy looking at everyone else his eyes glinting with excitement at how many were there.

"I shan't talk for long, as I know many of you must be exhausted from your journey, and will need all the rest you can get for the coming days. Inside this building, you will be directed to your lodgings. Beyond this, there are multiple gyms, pools, and lounges to fulfill all your needs. I must, however, ask that you do not leave your various rooms once guided to them until 8.00AM tomorrow. This is merely due to security reasons, and will fall into place every night at 10.00PM."

Kujo gave a nod closing his eyes as he breathed out, tomorrow. Tomorrow. He could wait till then, relaxing slightly he looked to the man that was to take him to his room. He did wonder how on earth NAMMA had so much money, their wealth was quite a on display. He whistled slightly as he saw the two bronze fighters locked in combat. It made him think back to one of his more memorable fights, to a time before he realized was 'gifted'.

---

​

Kujo could not remember the exact circumstances but he was fairly certain a time that he was walking home from something...he couldn't remember what. In any case he saw some wannabe thug beat up some hapless teenager on a walk. It was the kinda of human being that made you lose faith in humanity, why were there people like this? Beating someone up that was so clearly weaker than you, it was pathetic really.

He had half a mind to walk by it was none of his business anyway, why bother? He gast a glance at the boy that was being beaten up, his face all bruised, purple, blue and black all over. He gave a slight sigh before wheeling round to the teen that was beating up him up.

"Hey its no fun picking on someone that can't fight back"

​

"Oh yeah and what are you going to do about in hot shot? Your hair is freaking weird dude, ever heard of a barber?"

Oh that smug smile, it was so annoying. There was a whistle as two other young men came round behind where Kujo was standing. Kujo eyed them both up, giving a sigh.

"You really don't wanna do this, just leave the kid alone alright?"

"Not a chance pal, why don't you move along before you get hurt" his fist raised coming down at the teen that was being beaten up, only for Kujo to grab it before it connect.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya"

There was a quick succession of movements as he grabbed the man's face and slammed his back into the ground.

​

In the next moment both the other men were upon Takahashi as they attempted to wrestle him to the ground, his leg coming round in a sweep to strike at their chests, the first one connecting the wind knocked out of him before the other one was able to get a punch in across Kujo's face. A grab of his wrist and a movement of his leg as brought round in a swing down onto the floor. He looked down at the three of them, their bodies broken from the sheer force of his blows.

"Ah as I thought you guys are way too weak, so boring."

The teen looked at the crumpled bodies looking up to Kujo with bewildered amazement.

"T-thanks..."

​

"Don't mention it kid"

---

"Takahashi-san? I am Yuri Morimoto. I'll be showing you the ropes around NAMMA Corps' training facilities. If you'll follow me, I can show you to your room."

"Lead the way," he said, still admiring the interior decor. It would not take them long to arrive at his room, his mind blown even further at the sight of it.

"Well this has all the trimmings doesn't it?" he said as he listen to Morimoto give all the information about the various training facilities. He saw no reason to go work up a sweat now, tiring up his body before a big fight was not exactly the best idea. Perhaps a light workout or swim to relax but nothing over the top.

Kujo would quickly change settling ongoing for a light swim to work off some his energy so he could actually sleep from all the pent-up excitement rushing through his system. That is if he didn't bump into one of his fellow neighbors upon leaving.

TAG: @Master Vo'Un'Var @greyjedi125 @Narancia

 

​

IC: Johnathan Giovana

Ready.

Willing.

Able.

Those were the thoughts of a man who lived the past decade training, learning, eating, drinking, dreaming, and existing for this moment. Johnathan had turned away from his riches and lived the life of a traveling vagrant, all for the sake of defying his reputation.

It was all for this moment.

But.... that didn't mean that Johnathan wasn't going to indulge in the high-class lifestyle; the first-class plane ride was a nice touch, as was the champagne. I mean, Johnathan had been living training in the jungle and the boxing ring for the last decade, so he deserved some reprieve, or at least he thought so; he even was dressed in his Sunday best, a real dapper suit that really fits Johnathan.

​

The suit, however, became stuffy as the plane touched down; the heat was definitely present. Still, Johnathan shrugged it off, especially since he lived in the harsh hellscape that the jungle presented at times, and his brief tour in the Gobi desert was a training exercise given to him by his mentor Takamura.

Johnathan could feel the energy, but he could also feel the malice. It wasn't hard to detect; Johnathan knew that his height and size made him an easy target for people that wanted to get an early psychological advantage on the competition, so he kept his guard up, but on the outside, he continued to appear as if he didn't take this competition seriously, eating the sweet and greedily drinking the alcohol.

"Champions!" Roared the host, his low resonance and gravelly voice adding greater emphasis to his words.

"Welcome to Tokyo! I, Ryuji Nishikiyama, President of NAMMA Corporation, am beyond glad that each and every one of you accepted the invitation to join us for such a legendary tournament."

He paused, looking down, and allowing his words to be processed by the crowd.

"I shan't talk for long, as I know, many of you must be exhausted from your journey and will need all the rest you can get for the coming days. Inside this building, you will be directed to your lodgings. Beyond this, there are multiple gyms, pools, and lounges to fulfill all your needs. I must, however, ask that you do not leave your various rooms once guided to them until 8.00 AM tomorrow. This is merely due to security reasons and will fall into place every night at 10.00 PM."

He cleared his throat before bowing towards the crowd.

"I wish you all luck and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow."

He then stopped and turned his back to the crowd, stepping back inside the building.

Curious.

Jonathan pondered on this speech; this meant that there had been a history of dirty fighters who would sabotage the competition.

Oh well.

Johnathan shrugged as he made his way inside the lobby after quickly downing a whole bottle of champagne.



"Good evening, sir. I am to be your guide and take you to your room during your stay. My name is Arthur Kingsman. Though you may address me however you like."'

Johnathan stopped drinking and turned to see an older gentleman with an english accent.

"Good man. Lead the way."

TAG: @Master Vo'Un'Var @Shadowsun @greyjedi125

 

IC: Ash Armitage
It begins



He interacted with nothing and with no one. There would be no distractions from his mission. Everyone was a suspect. Anyone of these fighters could have been responsible for the massacre of his ‘brothers’.

Well, not anyone. Someone strong, or maybe a small group. It was very likely they would be part of this tournament, or maybe even part of the organization that put it together. Certainly, there was a great deal to consider, but he was determined to complete this task.

Ash had been honing his skills to the limit from even before he had gotten the invitation, which was in all honesty, surprising. No one, but a handful of people should know that he even existed, but clearly that was not the case.

NAMMA Corporation knew of him. So it stood to reason that they knew something.

So, while making himself of no importance during the flight, Ash did what he could to gauge and measure those around him. Not only visually, but also through more subtle and passive uses of his Gift, quite likely to varying success.

And so, It was only a matter of time until they landed, and so they did.

Ash took in all that was being offered as clinical information. Let the others be distracted by the glitz and the glamour. These things were of no consequence to Ash, though he still had to ‘act’ like he belonged, so he feigned mild interest. The heat however, didn’t seem to bother him at all, though he was only dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt.

Taking his place in the proceedings, he listened to the NAMMA president, his eyes piercing and scrutinizing, studying the man. Ash would not be fooled by celebratory banter, but he would follow the rules, for now.

So, they were not to leave their rooms for the remainder of the evening. Fine, that wasn’t a problem. It was probably some kind of test, but anyone who dared to enter his room uninvited would not be well received.

Furtively, Ash used a soft pulse of his ability as he continued to gauge the fighters he crossed paths with. So far, he was relatively unimpressed. Not that he considered any of them weak-per-se, but because he hadn’t felt anything that caught his attention- or at least not yet.

Still, he wouldn’t underestimate anyone gathered here. That would be a terribly foolish mistake.

It was then that a sensation caught his awareness, causing him to turn it that particular direction.

Ash noticed a dark haired man, slightly taller than him approaching him, but openly, with no level of detectable threat about him.

"Hello, Armitage-sama. I will be serving as your guide throughout your stay with us at NAMMA Corporation. My name is Tomura Akiyama. You may call me Tom, for short." The man said introducing himself, his English was excellent, but lined with a noticeable Japanese accent.

So, they even knew what he looked like. That was a concern.

“Nice to meet you, Tom.” Ash responded, not as neutrally as he normally would have, but with a small tinge of amicability. He would much rather remain unseen and unapproached, but if this man was assigned to him, perhaps he was sent to glean intel on him, but two could play that game.

“I’m ready when you are.”


Tag: @Shadowsun, @Narancia, @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

Day 0 - Before the Tournament
Floor 32, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Night

All three of the fighters would be escorted to their rooms swiftly. Any with a keen eye would notice, among the lavishness of the place, there were cameras in every hallway, leaving very little in the way of blindspots. Any luck of these would have to be searched for.

The rooms, among its various trimmings, were equipped with a bench press in the living room, and an expansive set of weights in the bedroom.

Yuri Morimoto would halt Kujo Takahashi as he attempted to leave for a quick swim.

"Unfortunately, Takahashi-san, I have to inform you that fighters have to stay in their rooms for tonight. I assure you can go for a swim tomorrow, if you please." Morimoto informed, before ushering the Gifted back to his room.

Jonathan and Ash would be informed of the same as each were brought to their rooms, Ash to the left of Morimoto's room and Jonathan to the right.

All three rooms had massive windows overlooking the Tokyo nightlife. All three rooms were identical.

Rest was needed before the tournament. Who would be the wisest and take it?

@greyjedi125 @Narancia @Shadowsun

---

Elsewhere...





He could see everything. It was a mess to look at, but it was glorious. Every moment in the building was captured by him. Everyone was being neatly watched.



"It's... glorious." He'd whisper, his technician standing beside him, dwarfed by the height of Ryuji Nishikiyama.

"Absolutely nothing can go wrong. It's perfectly planned. The money this company will make is..." He paused, taking a moment for a wide grin to spread across his face.

"I trust your department has extensive files on all the documented Gifted?" He asked the technician.

"As best as we could. Some of our contestants were a little... reclusive."

Ryuji nodded with approval.

"Good. Continue to tailor and attend to each and every one of their needs. I want the upmost comfort for them before the tournament begins." He ordered, before turning swiftly and leaving the room...

@no one...

 

IC: Ash Armitage
The First Night

Ash only half listened to Tom as his guide escorted him to his quarters. The solemn-faced Gifted was taking detailed mental notes of their lavish, yet highly secured surroundings. He did notice the cameras, at least the ones that were in plain sight, however, he could guess as to where some of the hidden ones might be; then again, he could very well be wrong about those.

But where were the guards?

In the end, the bottomline was that they were all being watched -by someone, somewhere - for reasons that he could only guess.

Upon reaching their designated floor, Ash couldn’t shake the feeling that he was likely walking into some kind of elaborate trap - however, it was too late to back out now. This was no longer and infiltration mission, not when NAMMA Corp already knew his identity and was calling all the shots, robbing him of autonomy and freedom of movement. It was quite the unexpected predicament. Still, he'd resolved to go through with this, no matter what happened.

It was in that moment that two other Gifted arrived on the same floor. Ash half turned to glance at them, as he could sense them, feel them. They were both strong, of that there was no doubt.

Hmmm....

An interesting thought occurred to him then.

Where the floors housed with Gifted of comparable strengths?

Ash looked down to his feet, understanding there were 31 floors in that direction. Then he slowly gazed up, realizing there were 57 floors further up.

A dry humorless chuckle did escape his lips then. He had no way of proving his little 'theory', but it was an interesting thought just the same.

Still keeping up his ‘interest’, Ash kept pace with Tom until they both reached his specific room, at which point Tom reiterated the evening’s restrictions.

“Don’t worry about me, I wouldn’t know where to go either way.” Ash stated casually. “I assume I’ll probably be seeing you first thing in the morning. Until then.”

Ash would give a slight nod before he entered his own room as they parted ways.

From the look of things, all seemed normal. The room was luxuriously furnished and decorated, and all amenities were provided. The attention to detail was superlative- which meant he would have to be very careful.



Ash eyed everything, but touched nothing so far. The weight training set was likely both compulsory and a generic addition (to every room?), especially if they knew anything about him. It was a clever attempt to throw him off, but if he had been ‘selected’, then it stood to reason that his room was designed with him in mind- but not necessarily as a guest.

Ash had a good mind to test that 'theory', but decided against it for the moment. Calmly and soundlessly, he walked to the windows and looked out at the city lights. They seemed so calm and soothing from this distance, but he knew under closer examination, all the flaws would be glaringly visible.

He just needed to take a closer look at the tournament to find what he was looking for.

Indeed.

Turning around, Ash spied the bottles of Pocari Sweat upon a nearby table.

A wry smile came over his lips as he approached.

“I wonder….” He whispered to no one as he sat himself down in lotus position. Closing his eyes, he focused on the bottled water and reached out with his Gift, sensing with utmost finesse for any sign of impurities. From the world he emerged from, trusting 'nothing and no one' ensured another day of life. And so, he lived his life. One hour at a time, one day at a time.



Tag: @Master Vo'Un'Var ( @Shadowsun, @Narancia , *mentioned )

 

IC: Kujo Takahashi
Floor 32, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Night

Kujo looked to Yuri his eyes glinting with annoyance as he rolled his head back.

"Ah come on man, I just want a little swim is that so much to ask for?" He gave a slight huff as he looked down at the man. Realizing he was not going to get his way he eyed the big, tall British-looking man that was staying to his right.

"You look like someone fun to spar with big man, I hope to see ya tomorrow"

His eyes then whipped round to Yuri's his eyes burrowing into his.

"Alright, glorified hall monitor I'll play game," under normal circumstances Kujo would have kicked up far more of a fuss but he did not want to squander this opportunity to fight, to actually let loose.

Turning around he closed the door with a slam as he then went about a light workout. Some core mixed in with some upper body, body weight exercises. Nothing crazy but enough to work up a light sweat. He needed it or he was never going to get to bed. And then with that done he flopped onto his bed, it felt like a marshmallow. As he sunk in he began to slowly, ever so slowly. Drift off to sleep. He cared not for the security or if NAMMA had some secret plan the man just wanted to fight, was that so much to ask for?

TAG: @Master Vo'Un'Var (@Narancia mentioned)

 

IC: Johnathan Giovanna

Johnathan continued through the hallway following the aging guide whose name he already forgot, thanks to being a bit inebriated because of the champagne (so much for being aware.) Johnathan made it to his room where he encountered three odd fellows; one was a pint-sized short stack of a man who took himself too seriously and needed to relax.

They were about to enter the tournament full of gifted fighters worldwide and provided luxuries by an illusive but gracious host. Johnathan wasn't going to live down the opportunities of stuffing his face while he could. A thing fighters needed to do was relax when the opportunity presented itself, a lesson Johnathan learned from his mentor Takamura who would drink sake and booze while singing karaoke with beautiful women when it was time to chill.

Play hard and work harder!

It was a motto to live by.

"You look like someone fun to spar with, big man; I hope to see ya tomorrow."

Johnathan turned to his left and saw a dude with spiky hair and a well-built physique eyeing him up.

"Well, you might not like that, especially at noon. But I'll take you up on that offer someday, anyway, see ya."

Johnathan closed the door behind him and collapsed on the bed, he was tired, and all he could think about was the tournament to come, so many fighters, so many different potential techniques, and fighting styles. The tournament couldn't come sooner enough.



TAG: @Shadowsun @greyjedi125 @Master Vo'Un'Var @darthbernael

 

End of Day 0 - Pre-Tournament
Floor 32, NAMMA Tournament HQ, NIght

Keara Alais arrived slightly later than the other three, as the limousine that escorted her was last in the long row. This didn't however reduce any amount of treatment that was offered. The same lavish standard had been used, and when she arrived at the HQ just in time for Ryuji Nishikiyama's closing words, a guide would approach her, preparing to escort her to her room.

"Bonjour, Miss Alais." The guide spoke, stepping forward.



"I am Jacques Tokugawa. I will be showing you to your room, if you would please follow me." He informed, bowing low.

Keara would be promptly shown to her room, located on Floor 32, next to the room of a British fighter.

"Please note that you may not leave your room for this night, and I will return promptly in the morning to show you were to go, as you shall be receiving your matchups tomorrow." Jacques notified, before bowing again and leaving Keara to her own devices.

@darthbernael

Day 1 - Pre-Tournament
NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning

The morning would come, whether it felt quick or slow. The sunrise creeped into the rooms of the fighters through the massive windows overlooking the city. Each fighter would hear a knock knock on their door as each guide arrived to take them to their first destination of the day. The Matching Hall. The same buzz of anticipation in the air, only this time more settled with the task of sleep already passed.

Each fighter would slowly make their way to Floor 40, a massive open hall where a giant T.V screen, of similar size to those used the night before for Ryuji Nishikiyama's short speech, would be situated at the end of the hall, with hundreds of names flashing onto the screen, cycling through the first matchups.

Ash Armitage, Jonathan Giovanna, Keara Alais and Kujo Takahashi would all be able to see their names on the boards, and what's more... they could see their first opponent.

Ash Armitage would be first fighting... Keara Alais. The two were on the same floor, and would surely recognize each other.

Jonathan Giovanna would be going against a man known only as Yaju. As Jonathan surveyed the board, Yaju himself would stand beside him, spot his own name, and turn to the fighter.



"I look forward to our fight." He said, his deep voice remaining monotonous, before he turned his back to Jonathan, and walked away.

Kujo Takahashi would search the board, and find himself to be going against James Crowley. Glancing around, Crowley was nowhere to be in sight.

Various guides would find their assigned fighters, and direct them wherever they pleased.

Perhaps some would go to the various canteens around the HQ.

Others might go for a swim in the various pools.

Or perhaps prepare in one of the intense training rooms on the level above this.

@greyjedi125 @Narancia @Shadowsun @darthbernael

 

IC: Johnathan Giovanna



The night soon became day. A true display of what laid before them, the tournament was finally here.

A knock.

An awakening.

Johnathan arose from bed and dressed in his fighting blues.


As Johnathan followed the elderly guide down into the matching hall, he would see many fighters gathered around a T.V screen which Johnathan joined, of course.

Johnathan spotted his name and his opponent's a man named Yuja, who coincidentally was next to him. A giant of a man, larger than life, an opponent that finally matched Johnathan in stature.

"I look forward to our fight."

Yuja walked away before Johnathan could say anything, but this burned a hot brand within the soul of Johnathan; this was going to be an amazing match; he knew it for sure, and Johnathan wanted to see what this man was capable of.



Johnathan turned to his guide.

"Where are the training rooms? I want to train immediately."

TAG @Shadowsun @greyjedi125 @darthbernael @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

IC: Kujo Takahashi
Waiting

Kujo awoke with the excitement of a child on Christmas day. He rushed himself to get ready, throwing it all together as he made his way to the fortieth floor. There were hundreds of names it made it difficult to read. If this truly was a Swiss-style tournament system it meant you would have to have a near-perfect winning streak with so many people. I mean with so many people you would expect a handful to have perfect streaks, there were what nine rounds? Yeah, this was gonna be tough. That or the competition was so fierce that no one got a perfect 'score' as it were.

Of course, Kujo did not really think about any of this as he scanned the list of names for his own. He was solely focused on finding his own opponent. Eventually, he found his own name matched with that of a James Crowley. Interesting, so some European or American guy huh? He scanned the crowd shouting the name aloud making a right nuisance of himself. When there was no response he gave a shrug and a huff. Well, that was annoying, he was hoping he would get to at least meet the guy before training.

He did however manage to spot big beefy British boy from the night before. It seemed he was speaking to an equally large man, in fact they kinda even looked like they were siblings or something.

He wandered over to the man as he saw no reason not to overhearing him ask his guide where the training rooms were.

"Well if it isn't the big boy himself, I don't think I caught your name last time. I am Takahashi Kujo... oh right you're a Brit right? I guess you can call me Kujo,"

He waited for a brief moment for the man to return his own name if he chose to do so before turning and looking back.

​

"Well I hope I go up against at least one of you, a massive body like that is gonna be fun to beat up," he spoke with a slight smirk before turning back into the crowd to find a spot to train himself.

TAG: @Narancia @Master Vo'Un'Var @greyjedi125 @darthbernael

 

IC: Ash Armitage
Rising Sun

As always, he was up way before Dawn, for it was always best to travel under the cover of darkness. Ash had gone to sleep in his meditative position, but he didn’t really sleep like most did. He was a light ‘sleeper’ for he was ever alert to danger. That, and he was also able to escape the nightmares. Ash had learned to regulate his ‘rest period’ and ‘regeneration cycle’; he’d also mastered hunger and fatigue under the most grueling circumstances, thanks to his shinobi training. Survival in the mission field was highly critical.

Opening his eyes, Ash rose smoothly from the floor, grabbing the two empty bottles of Pocari Sweat and disposed of them properly. He did not turn on the lights, as he really didn’t need to. He’d already memorized where everything was located inside his quarters, asides from being able to see them clearly in darkness.

In short order, Ash took a scalding hot shower, instinctively deciding to exercise his pain tolerance training and internal Qi management, because torture was a thing. There were several wound marks on his body that had never fully healed over, but those were no longer of any consequence.

After drying off, the Gifted young man donned the provided tracksuit, for the sake of continuing his ‘charade’ as it were. Not everyone had to believe his appearance, only most.

Light began to filter in through the window, which meant company would soon be knocking at the door. Sure enough, the knock came not too long after. Tom had returned to guide him to his next destination.

------

Ash did not engage in conversation, but remained observant of everything and everyone around him, both staff and guests. Upon entering the Matching Hall on the 40th Floor, the immense space itself was breathtaking. Exactly how big was the NAMMA Building? Ash tuned out the cheering crowd and loud music as his eyes were drawn to the gigantic display screen.

Hundreds of names flashed across for inspection, but none were familiar, except for….

Ash narrowed his eyes and tried to stifle his annoyance.



His was the very first match.

A match against Keara Alais.

A female Gifted, he surmised. A french woman by the sound of it?

Until that very moment, he had not made a conscious effort to realize the tournament’s gender ratio. It was not surprising that such a tournament would find itself dominated by ‘males’, which left him to conclude that any female entering was already vetted and proven in combat.

Had he not spied a female out of the corner of his eyes on his floor this very morning?

Ash felt eyes on him, he deliberately did not turn, at least not yet. For the next moment, Ash did a word scramble of his opponents name, but found no hidden message or meaning, outside of the word 'Alias'. Only then did he allow himself to turn in the direction he had felt he was being looked at.

He caught movement, of a female turning away. Auburn color hair, almost his height, seeming close to his age, at least at first glance. What’s more, there was no ‘dip’ in the power levels he felt in her area- meaning, she was a legit contender in terms of strength.

Ash kept his gaze upon her until she was out of sight. He did see her speaking to her guide, so he strained his hearing to catch at least one word through the general din: 'canteen'.

A long huff escaped the young gifted as he breathed out the annoyance of being the opening act. He wasn’t pleased by that prospect, but was already thinking on ways to turn that around. First impressions were important after all.

With a clear gesture, he bid Tom to move closer.

“Who is she?” He asked pointedly, before adding; “…and where is the canteen.”


Tag: @Master Vo'Un'Var , @darthbernael

 

Day 1 - Pre-Tournament
Matching Hall, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning

Tomura looked in the direction Ash pointed, before raising a brow and turning back to his assigned contestant.

"That would be Keara Alais, Armitage-sama. She is on the same floor as yours, if I am correct." He informed, as he nodded and began to guide Ash to his chosen destination, as the other guides had done for their contestants...

---

Training Hall, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning

Kujo Takahashi and Jonathan Giovanna, by request, were swiftly taking to Floor 41, which housed various training facilities in one large hall, apart from a set of sliding doors on the far end of the hall from the elevators that had taken them up. A sparring ring had been set up in the middle of the hall, with one contestant practicing against another.

The hall would be filled with various grunts and yells from training contestants, some lifting iron with the various weights and benchpresses set up around the room, while others practiced their moves on various dummies and trainers.

However, the would be a large thud from beyond the sliding doors, which on further inspection would have Dojo written above in various languages. A man suddenly smashed through the doors, breaking them into smithereens and crashing on the ground. He let out a groan of pain and lay wounded on the ground. After him stepped out another contestant.



"I need another training partner!" He roared out to the room of gifted, snarling at each and every one of them in turn.

@Shadowsun @Narancia

---

Canteen Hall, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning

Ash Armitage and Keara Alais quickly found their way, with guidance from their guides, on Floor 43, which contained a large canteen with rows of tables and benches, lined neatly in formation. Beyond these was the serving station, where cooks handed various meals to contestants. The meals in question would be from seemingly everywhere. Not one culture had been spared in the perfect accommodation as breakfasts from across the globe where served to hungry fighters.

One fighter passed Ash, looking him in the face and shaking his head.

"You gotta cheer up, man." He chuckled, before heading towards the serving station. He too had a strong demeanor about him, but seemed to be much more relaxed in the situation.



Both Ash and Keara would then be left to their own devices. Quickly eat and move on, or mingle with the contestants to get a sense of the competition?

@greyjedi125 @darthbernael

 

IC: Kujo Takahashi
Oh hell yeah...

Kujo would hum to himself as he looked around the scenery, making his causal way up to Floor 43. He would take a moment to look over all the training equipment, wondering to himself what kind of workout he should do or how he should train for an opponent he had never met. In fact, he had never fought against another gifted before, that experience alone would likely be of use.

As if hearing his inner a man burst out of seemingly nowhere asking for another training partner. Now a smart person would ask their guide what time their match was and gauge if it is worth fighting a person of unknown skill at a time like this. But Kujo was well... not unintelligent, but rather impulsive. It seemed they were of the same height and about the same build, perhaps a little heavier than Kujo. Walking over to across the man he looked at him with glee, he could not help himself, he had to see what he could really do in a fight, what his real limit was.

​

"Okay hotshot you're on, let's do this!"

He would allow the Ki within him to now flow throughout his body, building up in its neutral state within his body as his muscles flexed, his grin growing only wider. Oh this was going to be fun.

TAG: @Master Vo'Un'Var @Narancia

 

IC: Johnathan Giovanna

"Well, if it isn't the big boy himself, I don't think I caught your name last time. I am Takahashi Kujo... oh right, you're a Brit, right? I guess you can call me Kujo,"

Johnathan turned to see it was that peculiar fellow that he met last night. This was the exact sort of thing that Johnathan knew he would encounter; his size made him a target for people wanting to prove themselves hotter and better than what they really were.

Johnathan could see this guy was strong and humored the man, only because he wanted to see what this Kujo fellow could do.

"My name is Johnathan Giovanna; nice to see you again."

"Well, I hope I go up against at least one of you; a massive body like that is gonna be fun to beat up,"

Johnathan smirked at this; it was always pride that cometh before the fall with these types of people, the ones that like inflicting pain on others to satisfy their needs. Johnathan wasn't scared; he, in fact, pitied the man; from his perspective, Johnathan could see that this was a perverse glee for Kujo and not a genuine enjoyment of the fight.
But coincidentally, both fighters ended up at the same place, the training rooms.

While there, an angry man burst onto the scene, breaking the doors, and demanded a sparring partner; of course, Kujo volunteered to do it, wanting the braggart all to himself.

As much as Johnathan wanted a free pass to watch his stalker in action and take notes on his fighting style, Johnathan refused; he wanted to fight too!

"Now who decided that!"

Johnathan charged up his own Ki as he spoke to Kujo, then he turned to the hot-headed man, displaying his light-based Ki.

​

"I'm obviously the superior fighter, so choose me!"

TAG: @Master Vo'Un'Var @Shadowsun

 

GM APPROVED! ..........you should all be running for the hills right about now for many, many reasons....

Character Sheet



Name: Dōryoku Osutin
Age: 29
Nationality: Japanese
Height: 5’5”
Weight: 272 lbs.
Style: Do Behave itto-ryu
Ki Proficiency: Medium
Ki Element: Earth & Darkness

Bio: The words often used to describe Osutin by those who know him would be: “You just don’t want to know.”

The words often used to describe Osutin by those who know of him would be: “A force of nature that has yet to be calmed.”

The words often used by Osutin to others regarding their views of him: “Just behave.”

You see, awakening to his Gifted powers at a very early age, Osutin had it all go to his head. Between that and perhaps overuse of them (or at least that’s what some claim), they did more than just ‘go to’ his head. It completely addled any form of logical sense in that mind of his! …..And morals.

As soon as he knew he was far, far stronger than anyone around…and he knew quite quickly…all he cared about was finding someone like him who could give him a good fight! He didn’t find anyone, so he eventually ran away from home as a young teen and found ways of touring the world, searching. The longer he went without finding anyone, the more warped he became. The more he took to Darwinism in an extreme sense. Really, it just starting morphing into nihilism if we’re honest.

All things live to die. End story. No arguing. All he cares about is fighting…and killing. If you can’t stand up to him, you don’t deserve to live. If you can deserve stand up to him and fight back, then that means you need to kill him. Simple as that.

Survival of the fittest; oldest and most immutable rule in the universe in his twisted mind.

And he’s been fighting nonstop now for years. He’s even finally ran into at least a few fellow Gifted, but they were….disappointing.(Also now quite dead.)

But it doesn’t stop there, his quirks and mannerisms after dealing with many of the wrong ends of society are left him acting and saying very strange things. Taking things ways they are not meant to be taken, making light of that which should not be taken lightly, caring not for that which one should always care for.

And then NAMMA came and announced the Tournament. A place where only the strongest in the world come to and……fight!

If there was ever a dinner bell tailor made for Dōryoku Osutin, this was it. And it was just rung.

He’s answered the call, baby.

 

Canteen Hall, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning

A camera zoomed in on two of the fighters in the canteen hall, Ash Armitage and Keara Alais. Somewhere beyond, in a dark room feint lights from the computer screens, a man grinned as he watched the two.

No one would bother the two, and they would have no trouble finishing their breakfasts.

What's more, the majority of the facility was now available to their use. Their guides would gladly escort them to a room of their choosing.

Before either would do anything, however, they both felt the same feeling. A pair of eyes on them. Watching. Inspecting the room would provide no results of where this attention came from, but it was certainly present.

@greyjedi125 @darthbernael

Training Hall, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning

The man ahead of Jonathan Giovanna and Kujo Takahashi would smirk.

"Two opponents! Perhaps I'll have a challenge now! Step forth into the dojo!" The man roared, before marching back through the shattered doors.



The dojo was well-maintained, but a stark contrast to the rest of the building. Unlike the flashy, expensive appearance of the majority of the NAMMA Tournament HQ, this room was simple, with plain wood and tatami carpets lining the floors.

The man looked the two over, before folding his arms and waiting on the right side of the room.

"Both of you may take the first strike. Begin!"

@Shadowsun @Narancia

Matching Hall, NAMMA Tournament HQ, Morning



He had arrived late, as he only obeyed his own schedule. His guide, however, had patiently waited for him as Dōryoku Osutin arrived to the NAMMA Tournament Headquarters a day later than the other gifted.



"Hello, Mister Doryoku!" A young Japanese man exclaimed, his eager energy radiating throughout the place.

"I am Itsuki Aso! I'll be guiding you throughout the tournament HQ!" He said, giving Osutin a thumbs up.

Itsuki would show Osutin throughout the tournament, taking him to the Matching Hall.

As they passed through, Osutin also would be subjected to the glorious interior of the NAMMA Tournament HQ. Itsuki would inform him as they passed their way through various corridors that he would be shown to his room at the end of the day or whenever he wanted to go there, after they received his matchings, of course.

The matching hall's gigantic screen displaying various names would flash up with Osutin's name, showing that his opponent would be a man called Masuda Katashi. Masuda was not in the Matching Hall, as he had likely left as most competitors had managed to arrive at the hall and gather the information they needed. However, Osutin was now free to explore the facility, with the accompaniment of his guide, of course.

@Darth_Elu

 

IC: Johnathan Giovanna

​

"KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Johnathan breathed in, expanding his lungs as he continued to channel his ki and activated the ripple as he took up an orthodox boxing stance.




Johnathan felt muscles expand and contract; he felt them become energized beyond normal comprehension. Though the exact quantifiable amount of power Johnathan gained depended on the time of day and location.

So at this moment, just like everyone else in the room, Johnathan was unsure of how much power would be imbued within his blows.

Not to mention that the ripple required Johnathan to breathe in a specific fashion that was difficult, but Johnathan had been able to maintain it for 5 hours with inaction and only a single hour while in combat through training. Still, he was no master of the technique like his mentor.

But still, this was Johnathan's moment to shine.

To shine on.

Shine on with his inner light.

"You said to strike first, so I'm not going to pull my punches!"



Johnathan dipped his body down and glided forward, it took all of his abdominal strength, but Johnathan still performed it.

The smash uppercut!

It wasn't the most powerful variation of the attack, but Johnathan wanted to test his new sparring partner; he wanted to see what his new adversary could do.

TAG: @Master Vo'Un'Var @Shadowsun