The Path of the True Warrior Ch. 8
By Ryu-san

“Shun Goku Satsu!” Akuma yells teleporting towards Dan.

“Soul Spark!” a woman cries out as she uses her shawl to unleash blue fire on Akuma. Akuma is forced back, hit hard by the projection of chi.

“…Who are you, woman? And why do you interfere?” Akuma asks her, his eyes filled with rage and yet curiosity.

“I cannot allow you to murder this man. Though seemingly weak, he will play an integral part in the upcoming battles. As for me, you may call me Rose,” Rose informs him.

”Hmph! I will remember you…You will die by my hand after Ryu…Ashura Senku!” Akuma yells as he teleports back to his island. *That woman…she may be another worthy opponent to kill as well…*

“Wait! What is your connection to Ryu…” she trails off after Akuma leaves.

“Ugh…” Dan grunts as he prepares to rise.

“Oh! That’s right!” Rose remembers that Dan is injured and places her hands over him, instantly healing all his major injuries.

“Thank you, but, who are you? What did you mean by upcoming battles?” Dan asks her weakly.

“Shh…shhh…I may have healed your more serious wounds but you are still wounded. Also, I used your own chi to heal your wounds. We will talk tomorrow,” Rose tells him as she carries him to his house.

“Akuma…he is an unknown…what role will he play in this battle?” Rose wonders.

India

“………” A lone warrior meditates in the fields of India.

Clack. Click. Clack.

He hears footsteps trying to sneak up on him. He opens his eyes and teleports outside.

All of a sudden, a set of hands grabs him from behind.

“Target acquired…” Cammy says.

“Yoga!” Dhalsim says as he teleports out of her grasp.

“What grudge do you hold against me? Why attack me?” Dhalsim asks her.

“Target escaped. Apprehending now,” Cammy autonomously says.

She hits him with a cannon drill, then a front kick and finally, she hits him with a spinning backhand.

“Ugh! I have no choice, I must defend myself,” Dhalsim says to himself.

He extends his limb in order to hit her…but Cammy was waiting for this and she grabs his extended arm and when it retracts, brings her with it. She then pulls out a needle full of sleep-inducing chemicals and injects Dhalsim with it.

“Lord Bison, Dhalsim is now within our grasp,” Cammy tells him using her communicator.

“Good. Inject him with the mind-control and then order him to search out Ryu. Report back when you find Ryu,” Bison tells her as he turns off his communicator.

“Ryu, you will soon be mine! Mwa ha ha ha …urk!” Bison quits his laughing as his body coughs up blood once more.

“Ryu…I need your body soon…” Bison mumbles as he walks toward the psycho drive.

A week before the tournament, in China…

“Hm…You have all improved tremendously…now, to test that strength…fight with me now!” Gen tells them.

“Very well, sifu! I shall have that honor!” Fei-Long exclaims while using his rekkaken.

“Predictable, you arrogant fool!” Gen tells him as he sidesteps all three hits and roundhouses him into the ground.

“I’m not through yet!” Fei yells as he spins faster and faster generating a blazing kick that rises in the air.

“Also transparent!” Gen yells as he neatly backs away from the attack then kicks upward three times knocking Fei in the air, then bouncing off a wall and on top of Fei with both feet, driving him into the ground.

“Next!” Gen says as he steps into his So-ryu (ryu is ambiguous without kanji system, I think. It means lots of things but one of them is style or school) again.

Chun-li charges at him, using her Hyakuretsukyaku. Gen jumps back, sweeps her, then hits her very quickly with five punches, all moving in a blur. He runs and follows up with a kick to the side of her head, three swift punches to her abdomen and a final rolling punch that forces her against the wall.

“Next!” Gen says as he narrows his eyes.

Ryu goes forward, jumping towards Gen.

“Shoryuken!” Ken yells as he hits Ryu out of the air.

“Hold on, it’s my turn,” Ken says with an arrogant smile. Ken then motions Gen to attack him.

“You’re even more arrogant than my stupid pupil!” Gen as he runs off in the opposite direction, disappearing in three seconds.

“Where did you go? You ran away, you old coward!” Ken yelled.

“Zanei!” Ken gets hit with several blows as he falls to the ground.

“I was merely getting a head start. Never underestimate your opponent!” Gen lectures him.

“Shut up old fool!” Ken rushes at him and then rolls behind him.

“Shoryureppa!” Ken yells as he performs his dragon punches.

“Yowai (weak)!” Gen yells as he kicks Ken with a spinning roundhouse that sends him slamming into a tree.

“Ya!” Ryu yells as he jumps into battle, his gi still slightly singed from Ken’s flaming dragon punch.

“Shakunetsu hadoken!” Ryu yells as he projects his chi at Gen.

BAM!

Ryu clutches over, grasping at his chest. He feels weaker with each passing second and he looks at Gen. Gen’s eyebrows slightly furrow and he moves around slightly slower. Ryu realizes that he is concentrating on weakening Ryu and without a moment to spare, he manages to strike Gen in the chest.

“Hmph,” Gen says as he quickly recovers from the punch. He then runs and slides under Ryu, kicking him in the back. He uses the wall and rebounds off it to strike Ryu in the shoulder when Ryu grabs him and punches him in the stomach.

“Oof!” Gen grunts. He grabs Ryu by the top of his gi and then he lets go after placing two feet on his chest. Gen then pushes with full strength landing on his feet with a flip while Ryu smashes into a wall. Ryu instantly charges his chi and uses a shinkuu hadoken.

“Gouken! This one is indeed your student, however, I have had too much experience against you for this one to stand a chance,” Gen mutters to himself as he jumps over the streaking ball of chi. He then kicks Ryu in the neck, follows up with an elbow thrust leading to backhanded strike. He then takes Ryu’s hands and while holding on to them, he slides underneath. He strikes Ryu on the back three times then he kicks him as hard as he can at his legs, causing Ryu to fall down. Gen jumps as high as he can and smashes down on Ryu.

All the warriors are swooned and Gen is exhausted.

“Hm…this last one stands the best chance if he does not hold back. He is far from being a true warrior but he is further along the path than I when I was his age. Hughkk!” Gen cries out as his heart starts beating irregularly.

“Ugh…my illness is coming back. I can suppress it for only a while longer…” Gen says to himself.

“Target sighted.” Cammy says as she points to Ryu. She turns on her communicator.

“Lord Bison, Dhalsim has led me to Ryu,” Cammy tells him.

“Excellent, apprehend him at once, but do not, I repeat, do NOT kill or maim him,” Bison tells her. *I need his body…*