Clash of the Clans: Shinobi 7 Companion Book #1 Page 13

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  A brutal side-kick to the gut sealed the third point for the Tiger Rager and put Takeo Akiyama into the pending list for round two. He defeated the student from the Midnight Shadow Clan with ease.

  I watched his fight with extra focus. Takeo was a counter-attacker, one who waited for his opponent to come in, block the strike, and make a strike of his own. He was a fast competitor, that was for sure. He didn't score with anything fancy, either. A well timed side-kick, and reverse punch, and a roundhouse kick to the head.

  Takeo Akiyama was the complete opposite of Kuroi Kaze. My team leader was the kinda guy who punched first and asked questions later. But if he decided that he didn't wanna ask any questions, he'll keep on punching. Good ol' Kuroi.

  I watched more fights unfold. Some were very exciting and some dragged on for almost five whole minutes. The judges stood all around the ring and watched closely during the fight. There would be some judges who called a hook kick, while some of the other judges thought they saw a ridge-hand first. Because of this, there were five judges who watched the fight. It came down to majority; three out of the five judges saw the ridge-hand before the hook kick, therefore the ridge-hand was called.

  I kept waiting and waiting for my name to be called. I really wanna start sparring, I'm getting restless just standing here! Kuroi was getting restless, too. He won't admit it, but I know that's what has him pacing back and forth.

  Finally, my name was called and I was ready to go. I looked across the way and waved to Yami. My brother still looked like he was scared out of his shoes. Well, he's gonna have to get used to being barefoot, because I'm fighting and there's nothing he can say.

  “Luna of the Kitsune Clan, get in here,” a judge ordered me. He was the same grumpy judge that scored me a 0.2 and dropped it down to a 0.1. Ah man, you mean that big ol' poo is my judge? Sheesh.

  I didn't let that ruin my enthusiasm. I bounced into the ring and faced the mean judge, whose frown only deepened when he watched me. “Hello,” I greeted to him.

  “Hmph,” he grumbled back. “Xing Lee of the Thorn-Goku Clan, enter the ring,” he called.

  Oh cool, I get to meet my opponent.

  The big guy who I mistook for Takeo Akiyama entered the ring. When I saw him the first time, it was from a distance. Now he was only a few feet away from me and I saw how massive he truly is! He was six feet even, with muscles that looked too big for his arms. He had black spiky hair and a toothy grin. That grin almost looks like Kuroi's except there was something off about it...

  I think he wants to hurt you, my mind told me.

  You think? I thought back.

  That's what it looks like.

  Maybe he's just bad at first impressions?

  Yeah, that could be it!

  I approached my opponent before the match began. “Hiya Lee-San, I'm Luna,” I told him.

  Xing's beady eyes peered down at me. His grin got even wider. “So you're the little bug I've gotta crush, eh?” he asked me.

  “I'm not a bug,” I automatically replied.

  “Ha!” Xing scoffed. He then used a 'cute' voice, like I was some kind of little girl or puppy dog. “Aww, is the witty bitty girl afraid of getting hit?” he taunted.

  I frowned. “Wait, so I'm not a bug?”

  Xing changed his whole persona. “No, you little brat!” he yelled at me. “You're just a dumb kid who's stupid enough to come between me and first place! I'm sure you can go home to papa fox and cry about your loss later. But right now, get over to your side of the ring and let's get this beating over with.” Xing pushed me with one of his big arms. “Shoo!”

  Little brat? Dumb kid? Papa fox? Hey, he just insulted me and my Master Kitsune!

  “Listen you,” I growled.

  “No, you listen, get on your side of the ring!” Xing interrupted. He shoved me for a second time. His shoves weren't like Kuroi's... they were rough and they actually hurt.

  “Hey!” then came the voice of my team leader. Kuroi hurried into the ring and came flying at Xing. He punched him in the jaw and toppled him over to the ground. Xing was too big for me but not for Kuroi. As soon as Xing hit the ground, Kuroi was on top of him and pummeling away with wild punches. “Don't you shove Luna!” he hollered. I've never heard Kuroi yell so loudly. “The only one who can call her a dumb kid is me, you giant bas—”

  “Enough!” the grumpy judge shouted. He hustled over and lifted Kuroi off of Xing, while the other four judges intervened to keep Xing off of Kuroi. “Disqualified!” the grumpy judge yelled. He pointed a bony finger in Kuroi's face, “You are disqualified!”

  “Like spirits I am!” Kuroi growled. He was fighting against the restraints of two of the judges.

  I watched all of this unfold like wild fire in a forest. Jian-Sho, Akira, and Geisha Rose stepped into the ring. “What happened?” Jian-Sho demanded.

  The grumpy judge answered before Kuroi could. “This Kitsune student intervened the match and attacked a competitor. I want him disqualified immediately, both Kitsune Clan students!”

  Wait, what? Me too? I didn't do anything!

  “The fight didn't even start yet,” Kuroi argued with a snarl, “and this Thorn-Goku punk was shoving my teammate. That's unsportsmanlike or whatever it's called.”

  Jian-Sho held up his hand, ceasing the arguing between the grumpy judge and Kuroi. Then Jian-Sho looked at me, his old eyes locking with mine and holding my gaze captive.

  “Is that what happened?” he asked me point blank.

  “You're asking the child?” Geisha Rose then questioned, her voice one of surprise.

  Jion-Sho didn't even look at his second-in-command's face, therefore he never saw her wide purple eyes. “A child never lies,” he answered simply. He was still staring right at me.

  I gulped and rolled my hands into fists. “I went over to introduce myself to Lee-San and he shoved me. Before anything else happened, Kaze-San came into the ring and attacked him,” I answered.

  Jian-Sho finally set his hand down. “An offense on both sides,” he hummed. He seemed to be deep in thought.

  “Kuroi Kaze attacked Xing Lee,” Geisha Rose stated. She seemed to be on his side.

  “Yes, after Xing Lee shoved Luna,” Akira defended.

  “An offense on both sides,” Jian-Sho repeated. The old man put a hand on Geisha Rose's shoulder so he could steady himself. “We will let the child decide,” he finally said. “Luna, if you choose to fight Xing Lee, then the sparring will continue as it should. However, if you choose to bow out, there are two options. Either Kuroi Kaze will step in and fight for you, or the Kitsune Clan will simply bow out from sparring, period.”

  My heart started pounding louder and louder. “What happens if I choose to fight? What about Kaze-San?” I asked.

  “He'll fight his opponent, Takeo Akiyama in the second rounds,” Akira answered. “If you fight, that will not affect Kuroi Kaze's match. However, if you choose to opt out and he fights instead of you, the only way he'll fight again is if he defeats Xing Lee.”

  In other words, I don't have to fight if I don't want to.

  Kuroi managed to break free from the other two judges and he hurried over to me. He bent down to my level and looked at me with his serious brown eyes. “Luna, let me take on this piece of trash,” he uttered gruffly, “you don't have to fight this guy. You can leave it to me.”

  “But that just means you'll have to fight twice,” I objected.

  Kuroi grinned. “I know. I love fighting, remember?”

  I bit my bottom lip. Xing Lee was ten times my size and had every advantage over me; height, strength, age, and weight. He didn't have that same edge over Kuroi, sure he was bigger than him, but not by a large margin. Xing has already said it himself, he was gonna try his best to hit me. He's not gonna hold back, period.

  My eyes darted to the Thorn-Goku student. He glared holes into me. He was angry, yet there was also a gleam in his eyes that I didn't like... arroganc
e. He thinks I'm scared of him, doesn't he? He thinks that two little shoves from him has me frightened out of my wits.

  “Sorry, old man,” I whispered. I stepped into view for everyone to see me. “I'm fighting!” I proclaimed.

  A look of disdain was across all the judges' faces, especially the grumpy one. The only ones who had different expressions were Xing (a look of confidence), Akira (a look of interest), and Kuroi (a look of anger).

  “Alright, everyone, out of the ring please. Let's get this fight started,” Jian-Sho said.

  Now the only ones in the ring was me and Xing. Everyone else were merely spectators. “Judges, are you ready?” Akira asked.

  “Hai,” they affirmed.

  “Xing Lee, are you ready?”

  “Definitely,” he grinned.

  Akira's eyes focused on me. “Luna, are you ready?”

  “For what?” I asked.

  Everyone in the room released an aggravated huff along with a heavy sigh.

  “Kidding!” I exclaimed, “Sheesh, I thought I would lighten the mood. I was wrong. I'm ready.”

  Akira rolled her eyes before concluding with, “Well then... hajime!”