The Path of the True Warrior Prologue
By Ryu-san

"I bet a thousand dollars on the big guy!" One man shouted.

"Only a thousand? I bet five thousand!" Another declared.

"The odds are ten to one against the shorter guy. There's no way anybody can beat somebody so huge!"

A mysterious man entered the building. He sat down and watched the battle ringside, always drawn to the fight. He analyzed the two fighters. The first was about 5'9" and he looked very quick, but no match for the larger. The large man had a very aggressive stance and stood about 6"10'. He slightly cocked his head, laughed and shook his head in disbelief. His head was nearly bald except for the braided hair that stuck out like a monk.

The smaller man attempted to rush at the larger. The man sitting down shook his head. The large man laughed arrogantly and grabbed the smaller with a single hand. He raised him high above his head and then smashed him down, delivering concussions to the short fighter. He laughed again and kicked the swooned man out of the ring. The mysterious man wondered who was fighting next.

"Hey you! Get up there!" yelled the man in charge of the illegal street fight.

"Nani (what)?" asked the man.

"I saw you shake your head, you think you can do better? Then go ahead. Guys!" with that, the man snapped his fingers and two huge men flung him inside the ring.

"Ha ha ha! This puny man is my opponent? Another short and weak one, eh? What do you think you are, the karate kid?" yelled the large fighter.

The man said nothing but merely observed his opponent. He then bowed.

The larger man instantly took advantage and jump kicked him…Or rather, he tried to. All of a sudden, the man moved behind him and he stood in a nonchalant manner. He completed his bow. The other man, enraged at this nonsense, immediately grabbed the shorter man. Without warning, the stranger struck the large fighter's hands and leapt forward, hitting him with a head butt. The other man's face collapsed, his nose broken and he immediately fell down, without rising again.

"Who are you?" asked the man on the ground before fainting.

"Watashi no Hoshi Ryu," he replied and with that, he grabbed his weather-worn bag and walked out of the ring.