Everything is Martial Arts

Kiru watch as just another head in the crowd as before him he could see to men battling it out in a makeshift ring. The day was part-cast. Temperate but decisively dim for late morning. Kiru observed the crowd, appreciating the causality with which the locals spectated the fight. There were those that watched with a wealth of history behind their eyes, clearly having more than just an interest in fighting drawing them to watch. Some had on matching gi's and uniforms to those in the ring while others did not and seemed to be calculating and noting the movements and decisions of both fighters. On the other hand were those that glance peripherally out of the corner of their eyes with a level of indifference that only tradition and culture could cultivate.

This happened a lot. Kiru recognised that. He himself was not particularly interested in the arts, but he had no frame of reference for them. He wasn't skilled or trained in it himself. All the same, it was good to see how strong a fighting man would be. Growing up on Shimotsuki made him privy to all manners of sword styles. His natural instinct told him that unarmed combat presented a handicap, unnecessary and highly problematic. Having watched the two combatant exchange just a brief flurry of blows he quickly understood how ignorant his assumption was.

It wasn't just how capable they were, Kiru saw some utility in the way they moved, things that could be useful to him in just how to manoeuvre his body. There may not be any game to hunt here, but maybe there was something else worth searching down...

After training for awhile on his journey he finally arrived on karate island. He heard there was lots of people to fight there and figured this would be a excellent place to test himself. As he wandered around he would look at the various sites, until he reached a area where he saw people fighting. He would casually watch the people fighting with great interest.

Checking and studying the different fighting styles, wondering how he would do against them. He noticed lots of people watching, some wore fancy clothing he recognized as gi’s. He figured they came from schools for fighting meaning they had formal training unlike him. This excited him even more he wondered how he would do against someone with formal training.

It was at this point he was itching to fight seeing all these people. He anxiously watched the ring in case he got a chance to fight. He knew knowing how they fought would help alot, so he kept watching intently. It was then he noticed someone with weapons here which was odd in this sort of place. He wondered what such a person like that would be doing here. Did he just come to watch people fight?

Kiru was tracking more than just the fight, so he didn't need to stay in one place in the crowd. Moving around he could hear different takes on the match at hand. It confirmed his suspicions that there was more on the line for the combatants and spectators alike that a win, loss or a bet. It seemed even social standing could be changed by the outcome; notoriety and respect hanging in the balance at end of a well connected fist. It did make Kiru reflect on his own goals, and whether or not he could truly say he was walking a different path to these martial artists, or whether he might have been presumptuous and selfish to have no aspirations for his own tribe and homeland. He had not given much thought to how he would operate or what would come next as he ascended to the pinnacle and became number one. He didn't have an answer, at least not yet. Maybe one would focus into vision as he advanced on his quest.

Kiru moved for a while through the crowd and eventually his hunter instincts began to react to the trace of eyes locked onto him. Kiru couldn't tell exactly who it was where they were. Feeling he had seen enough of the fight, Kiru decide to move away and look for a less crowded area where he might be able to fish out his anonymous observer. Kiru was decidedly unsubtle. He didn't look around or confirm his surroundings, but simply turn from the fight and left. He walked further long the road, taking every detour that look less busy and crowded than the main street he was already on.

Axel was still watching the fights out of the corner of his eye when he saw the strange man leaving the fight. the fact he left as soon as axel started looking at him made axel very curious. But he didn’t want to leave the fights, as the man got further and further away. Axel was having an increasingly hard time figuring out which way to go, when eventually he just said fuck it and went after the hunter.

He really hoped he wouldn't miss his chance to participate in the fights. But he really wanted to know why this person was leaving so suddenly. Axel followed him halfway through at some point figured it wouldn't be worth chasing after him. Being 7 feet tall axel would easily be spotted following the man as he tried to isolate himself. but after a few detours, the man would notice he would have stopped following him.

At that point, axel would head back to the martial arts tournament, he would be giving up on finding out about that strange man for now at least. Once he got back to the martial arts tournament he would curiously wander around looking for how to enter and fight in it.

As he was walking, Kiru was using his periphery to try and suss out the common denominator. As he began to move away from the busier street, it became very easy for him to confirm and deduce, seeing as a tall, looming figure kept appearing in his trail and seemingly trying to suss Kiru out in his own means. Kiru turned a corner, but as soon as he did he did and was out of view he snuck into a hiding spot behind a signpost for a dojo further on the track. The noted the taller man walk passed him, seemingly trying to spot him before turning round to leave, walking passed the sign on the other side of the street. Seeing the man lose interest, Kiru walked out discretely from behind the sign to the middle of the quiet street.


Kiru replied. Getting a good view of him from the vantage point, Kiru didn't feel he was looking at someone deliberately threatening.


He added. Kiru's voice stayed constant and measured.

Axel was walking back, when the man came out from behind him and commented causing axel to reply “good point i didn’t think of that when following.” he paused for a bit to listen to the rest of what the man said. When he saw that he was done talking he replied casually saying “ i was curious you didn’t seem like the other people watching the tournament.

Plus most people wouldn’t leave just because someone looked at them. Though im still curious as to why you would leave as soon as someone looked at you, do you have something to hide?. It doesn’t matter to me if you don’t want to answer but that is my reason for following you.” After that he would wait to see if the man felt talkative, if he didn’t want to explain then axel would just shrug.

He hoped to find out more about that strange person as well as what his motives where for being at that tournament and leaving so suddenly. But he wasn’t about to press a strange man for answers, if the man didn’t want to talk to him then axel would just leave and head back to where he was.

Kiru began to walk towards the taller man. As of right now he had his scarf covering his lower face as he spoke.

"Most can't fake the hunt/ Intrigue, Malice, Peace, Intrigue;/ It makes you honest." Kiru was now standing about 5 feet away from the man. "I guess you can tell/ I'm no Martial Artist/ I'm just curious."

Axel listens in carefully till the man is done then says “so you thought i could be trying to hurt you just because i was curiously looking at you? Is there someone after you? Or is there another reason you decided to test me?” He then waits for a bit as he watches the man walk towards him while talking, once he was with in five feet he hears the man say something else. So he replies “ok makes sense, so you were just spectating like I originally thought.”

Axel thought to himself how the man had a unusual and confusing manner of speech, so he hoped he was understanding him correctly.

Kiru squinted momentarily at the extension of this conversation. The man was so one track minded about finding out about Kiru and why the hunter was here, even though Kiru was the one who had been followed without provocation or cause. Looking again, the other man didn't seem dressed like an official and while tall he didn't seem old either. Kiru felt like this was an opportunity to exercise this man's doubt and this circular conversation.


Kiru hopped back two steps into a prowling crouch. He re-affirmed his scarf to the lower half of his face once more.



Kiru goaded. He had no sensible experience fighting competently while unarmed. However, the notion of practising it as a martial art was still surreal to him. He couldn't imagine it was that hard to accomplish considering how limited and dangerous it would be.

Axel didn’t realize what he was doing could be perceived as having a one track mind, to him it was a valid question. After all this mans behavior definitely wasn’t normal, so he wanted to know if he had a valid reason for acting that way or if he was just strange. He then saw something interesting this man hopped back and got ready to fight. Axel was indeed here to fight so figured this could be good training plus maybe he could get his questions answered after all.

So he got ready when he mentioned something interesting this person was going to fight without his weapons. He wondered if he was skilled with his hands and weapons? It would make sense he guessed so he said “ok sounds good ill take you up on that.” He would then take off his gauntlets since technically the weighted knuckles counted as a weapon called brass knuckles. Then get into his fighting stance, he would at first gauge his opponent by trying to circle around him looking for any holes in his guard. If he found none he would just attack head on throwing a punch at the mans face.

Kiru shifted side on, right foot forward. His left forearm was cocked horizontally against his waist and his right arm was diagonally down, parallel to his front right leg. This was his natural armed stance and he saw no reason not to utilise it even without his weapon. It made him feel ready, confident. When the seven-foot man threw the initial punch, Kiru immediately acted as if he was armed, underestimating how ingrained those movements were to his body.  He flicked his left wrist, as if swivelling his broadsword to line the blade against his arm and the main hilt protruding out,_[1] attempting to thrust it forward in a counter strike.

"BUSHIN-!!" As he began to extend his arm and his empty hand came into his vision, he remembered that he wasn't armed. Not only was he without weapon but he was without determination in action, pausing hesitantly at that moment, unsure of whether to commit or evade. Due to his shortened reach, especially against the seven-foot man, Kiru was hit in the face by the man punch, thrown back by the impact and his lack of brace.

Techs Used:

Axel just looked on confused as his fist connected with the mans face after he just saw the man just stand there. That told him pretty much what he wanted to know, this man was just strange after all! He wasn’t the type to walk away from a fight though but he also found it cowardly to kick a man while hes down.

So he decides to activate his muscle barrier stance to prevent any counter attacks and says “do you want to continue?” He would then wait for a response and for the man to get back up. If the man wanted to continue he would wait to see what sort of move he would make. He was pretty confident he could block anything thrown at him with muscle barrier.

Depending how the man attacked, Axel planned on countering by dropping muscle barrier after the attack and punching him full force in either the gut or again in the head.

If the man decided to quit and still didn’t get up axel would offer him a hand helping him get up.

If the man was already up though and didn’t need help getting up axel would just say “well thanks for the fight, im Axel by the way”

<I Must Remember / I Have no Weapon to hand / My Instincts are off...> mused Kiru to himself as he caught his balance. He did so in a crouch, take a knee to ground his posture.


Kiru took the offensive. He figured as long as he moved consciously, it shouldn't matter whether he was armed or not. He was mobile and had vigour, he just needed to move consciously. He set his left hand low, diagonally down and back while gripping his shoulder in the stead of his weapon's hilt. He dashed forward at his seemingly tensing opponent. He motioned to swing his imaginary broadsword_[1].

Kiru moved to slip passed his opponent frontal defences and swing which his out stretched hand in a cross-chop motion at the rear of the neck and shoulder region, but even if Kiru made it that far he would come undone by the distance he left himself, swinging his arm into open air as he passed.

Techs Used:

Axel would watch as he got ready, recovering from the last attack, when he hears his response. So he just nods at him saying “makes sense” then would watch as the man charged him. He then watched in shock as he messed up again, he felt sort of bad at this point. Why did this wierdo challenge him if he couldn’t fight without a weapon?

He seemed to be getting worse from before, maybe if he hit him harder then he did last time he would escalate again. Doing something even more ridiculous than trying to use a sword technique without a sword, maybe he would start to think he can remove limbs with imaginary swords and start hallucinating.

Axel would then quickly drop muscle barrier to put his plan into motion, he could hopefully see if he gets wierder then before again the more hurt he is. First he uppercuts him then transitions into a slam attack gripping both hands together and bringing them down on him like a hammer with all his force.

 After that he would he would check to see how hurt he looked and get ready for the mans next move. This would determine if he would get worse or better.

“techniques used”:

Kiru noted the taller man turning round to give a rising blow from beneath. He instinctively reached over his left shoulder clutching at the hilt. He instinctively was going to responded as a natural defence mechanic. He luckily caught himself before relinquishing his blade from the sheath. He let go of his blade, instead choosing to swing his bare hands and forearms down in his intended sword swing_[1]. While he had learned from his last attack that just being conscious of his attacks wasn't enough, as he was not accounting for spacing in his honed motions, it was already to late for him to do anything else after immediately giving a hop-step into position for his grandest move.

He swung his arms down, but it wasn't as much grand as incredibly clumsy. His opponents punch blasted his arms apart. Kiru tried to brace in a fetal crossed-arm guard as the taller man's hands weighed down on him and smashed him back-fist into the ground. Kiru didn't move straight away. Much like the punch before it he felt much more of that than he needed to to learn his lesson.


Groaned Kiru as he got up from the floor.


He added, before placing his palm against his fist respectfully and bowing.

As Axel went for a uppercut, he would watch as the opponent made lots of strange moves. Even going for his blade at one point, though eventually the man finally did something normal and managed to barely block the attack. But sadly for him he wasn’t able to block the second attack that crashed into him, painfully slamming him into the ground.

Axel then would hear the man start talking to himself before starting to talk to Axel. So he would reply back saying “im sure i would do just as bad if i was using weapons other then my fists. “ Axel would then see him bow, as his training wasn’t exactly taught in a civilized setting he looked on confused wondering what he was doing. He would then wonder if he was supposed to do that as well of if he should just stand here.

As Axel stood there looking at the man strangely he heard a scream and a call for help coming from nearby. When he arrived he saw a bunch if cowards picking on some weaker looking people. Axel rushed over and said “hey you craven assholes! Are you really so pathetic you pick on people weaker then yourself, are you just to horrible a fighter?”

No sooner had their bout resolved did another interaction take place. As the taller man got involved almost straight away, Kiru approached but with discretion to the sidelines. Amongst those on the floor, he noted mirroring uniforms. They had been beat fairly badly, much worse than Kiru. Kiru didn't know much about martial arts, and knew even less about the laws of this land. The presence of the aggressors and the aggressed did suggest a bad atmosphere, but Kiru had no idea whether or not this was perfectly sanctioned behaviour on this island. As the aggressors loomed over the taller martial artist, Kiru sleuthed over to one of the fallen men in a crouch.

"What happened to you?" he asked. The man glanced up to Kiru then to the ground.

"You're not from around here. You wouldn't understand," he explained beginning to rise to his feet. Kiru placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You know this is a bad move..." Kiru warned, being subtle with his words as not to offend. The man brushed Kiru's hand away gently.

"Good or bad, it's honourable. I can still stand..." the man started, pausing to look at his brethren writhing in pain at his feet. He himself was no paragon of strength, his legs shaking and his stance hunched in fatigue. "I can stand. If I can stand, I can fight. And if I can fight... I can still win. For my dojo, I can't turn tail with any strength still left in my fist! Stranger, do not interfere!"

Kiru stood back.

"...Understood. Good Luck," Kiru finished. The martial artist began to stumble towards the backs of the men crowding Axel.

"Hey! I'm still standing!" he snapped. Instantly the men turned to him, halting their arguments with Axel to approach their last, defiant victim. The surrounded him as he entered a fighting pose. It was shaky and shifted back and forth between his three opponents. Eventually he attempted to rush one of them, being grabbed as he missed wildly before being thrust back into the middle of them. It was a quick and brisk beatdown to put him on the floor unconscious. The leader of the group raised a foot over the head of the unconscious man.

"Wait- please! We forfeit! Just wait!" shouted one of his friends.

"The rules man! He's already unconscious, we admit defeat!" implored the other. The lead bully turned to them with a disgusted, venomous sneer. He looked to his two compatriots and pointed at the two pleading hearts. The two lackeys began to walk up to the two victims still awake. Kiru began to walk towards them, to the side, stopping only a few steps in front of them before drawing his swords and outstretching his arm to block their path.


Kiru warned.

Axel would contine would listen as the people berated him it wasn’t much of a arguement since Axel ignored most of what they said while he cleaned out his ears. But when he heard the conscious survivors declaration Axel would step aside quickly when the man got to his feet. He didn’t want to interfere with his fight if he was determined it wouldn’t be right.

But he knew how it would turn out the injured person seemed to be out numbered and out matched a very bad combination. As Axel watched the battle reach its expected conclusion he wondered if these guys were beasts themselves with the way they behaved. Axel then watched as they were about to head towards the other conscious sudents when the strange man stopped them with his swords.

Axel then waved his hand in a shooing motion as he said in a dismissive tone. “ Run along now bottom feeders, though if you think your confident enough with your numbers ill take you on.” He then would wait for them to make the first move, activating muscle barrier stance again to block any incoming attacks they may try. He would then counter attack the one closest who was attacking. The men thought about attacking but the prospect of possibly getting attacked by what looks like skilled sword user caused them to decide to back off. Though they didn’t look happy about it, in the end they left.

“techniques used”:

With the aggressors walking away, they made reference to continuing their harassment at a later date. Kiru stood away with the altercation over and watched as the two men he had defended struggled to lift their friend. He waited for a solid thirty seconds before leaning down. He Scooped the unconscious up and slung him firmly over his shoulder. Kiru simply nodded to them, awaiting for them to lead. The men began to walk back to their dojo. There was a walk long enough to ask questions, although Kiru had none to ask, keeping silent for most of the walk.

After they started walking towards the dojo Axel decides to ask kiru “also i never learned your name im Axel or should i just call you what ever i want.” Kiru then responds

"It's Cashern Kiru.
But most just call me Kiru.
It rolls off the tongue."

So Axel nods in response, then says “ good to know” he then thinks for a bit and tries to make small talk “ so is this your first time to the island”

Kiru responds by saying
"Yeah. Purely By Chance.
On a whim, I bought a fare,
and now i am here. “

Axel muses saying “thats what most people do i think personally its my first time here as well i came because thought it would be a good chance to see the results of my training.”

after hes done talking to Kiru he asks the still consious members who are leading the two of them back to there dojo. “So what were you fighting over”
The young fighter responds “the people from that dojo challenged us simple as that. There from a dojo thats full of bullies that goes around challenging other dojo’s and then sometimes killing people in challenges. They go far beyond winning and either attack the opponent till bored even if there already unconscious or break bones just for fun. “

Axel growls saying “ that’s horrible there worse then beasts you could even say there monsters “

The young fighter just looks on grimly saying “ agreed but ours is a young dojo so there’s little we can do but get the snot beat out of us when they challenge us. “