Blake calmly pulled back the hood from her head as she observed the area around here. Much like all towns on Karate Island this one looked just as rural, surrounded by large fields and filled with mostly small buildings and simple people. Yet she knew that most of these people were far from just the average civilian. Chuckling she passed a food stand where the cook calmly cut his ingredient in mid-air, while they fell into his pan.
The young Kuja had been impressed by the abilities of most people on the island the first day of her visit and even after multiple days it was still impressive. With the will to strengthen herself she had signed up at a dojo and practised there for a while, till she heard her master tell an interesting story. The story of the three great masters in each town. Apparently it was something only told to students that had shown enough promise to accomplish the task, she was unsure if she herself had really been that promising, but she was happy about hearing it, since it had shown her another way to improve herself. Even if not easy, all she had to do was to challenge the masters, defeat them and learn the location of a hidden treasure from them. Her master had called it a great treasure, able to strengthen the one that acquired it to an unbelievable level.
Obviously Blake wanted strength, she wanted enough to set out to destroy the world and reform it! With this intent she had travelled to the first dojo on the master's list. The dojo of the Wind Fist, or just “Wind Fist Dojo”, as she realized when looking at the sign in front of it. Much unlike popular believe the dojo was not only for karate, but most of the students seemed to practice sword fighting. That made it slightly more interesting, as she had not wanted to fight against an unarmed person with her daggers.
Closer to the entrance she dropped her backpack and took a look inside, a very loud woman was yelling commands, pushing the students to swing faster. It was a rather impressive display as the sabres used by them seemed to fly through the air, striking fast and precise at their imaginary opponent. Calmly she watched for a moment before removing her shoes and stepping inside. She was there to defeat the master, but she still had to show the proper respect to the dojo itself.
“Greetings!”, she yelled and stepped up to the loud woman at the front. The woman was slightly taller than her. Green eyes and black hair, she wore a simple white gi, with the dojo's sign on her left chest. At her waist she wore a long sabre. To show her sincerity Blake bowed, but as she lifted her head again she grinned. “I am here to challenge you to a duel, Tayo master of the wind fist.”
Tayo answered her grin with a smile and without answering to Blake quickly told her students to make space for the two, only after that was done she turned to the girl. “I can imagine why you are here, but like many before you, you will fail.” Calmly Tayo tightened the belt around her gi and then pulled her weapon. “One round, if you give up or can not fight any more you lose.” “I will try not to kill you, otherwise you can not tell me the secret I need to know”, answered Blake and pulled one dagger from her left sleeve, while keeping the second hidden.
Then like the wind Tayo charged at Blake, which was barely able to sidestep the downward swing, but like the wind the sword changed direction in mid air and had Blake not hardened her arm with Haki to defend against it the fight would already have ended, but the sudden surprise, gave Blake a chance to counter attack. Fast she swung her arm around, past the master's sword and sliced into the arm that was holding it.
With the wound too shallow to fully cut of the limb Tayo backed off to reassess the situation. “That is quite the interesting trick you have there, but don't think I can only use my weapon with this arm.” Easily she switched the hold of her sabre from her left to her right arm. “Much like the wind my strikes blow from every direction!” No matter how hard Blake tried she could not keep herself from laughing at that comment. “How cheesy.”
Tayo did not let herself be discouraged, instead even with one arm almost useless she rushed back in. Both traded multiple blows, sabre hit on dagger and just with the sheer speed of her assault the woman pushed Blake back. “The wind is all about its violent rush! Get blown away trickster!” Indeed the wind was blowing so hard that it pushed the hood off from Blake's head, it was nearly impossible to do more than blocking against the fast attacks and soon Blake was pushed against a wall. “Got you!” Tayo lifted her arm and was ready to deliver the finishing blow, but at the same time as the arm crossed her line of vision Blake dodged to her lower right and disappeared from the woman's sight for a moment, just to reaper behind, with a Tanto to Tayo's neck. “Got you!”
The spectators seemed shocked as their master dropped her sabre in defeat. She had to admit that Blake was surprisingly fast. ”Getting beaten at my own game hurts, but fine.” Slowly Blake removed the dagger from her opponent's neck and greeted her with a smile as Tayo turned around to face her. “I think your sword was the fastest I have ever seen.” Again she bowed as it was custom when finishing a duel and Tayo did the same.
In the aftermath of their duel Tayo's students quickly patched up the wound on her arm, while bringing some tea to the girl that had beat her. Curious to learn the first information about the hidden treasure Blake quietly sat on the bench in front of the dojo. While Tayo and her students took their time. Apparently there was much to discuss about the fight before the master found time to deal with Blake. Blake did not mind, she felt a bit shaken from the fight herself. Unlike Blake the master had attacked with the will to strike down her opponent. The secret seemed that important that she was willing to kill to protect it. If Blake was to continue fighting against the other dojo masters she had to be prepared to face the same kind of ferocity, while she could not kill the person from who she wanted to get information.
Finally Tayo came out, her arm bandaged and sat down next to Blake. “Forgive me for making you wait, first of you earned this.” Saying so Tayo held her belt before Blake's face. “You will need it. Next let me tell you a bit about the dojo and the island.” As Blake put the belt into her backpack she listened to the history of the tree masters, why they had decided to protect it and other things, then Tayo suggested to visit the Water Fist Dojo in the east next, before again congratulating the young girl on her win. “I hope you find what you are looking for.” Once again Blake bowed and let Tayo go back to her students, before continuing on her journey to challenge all the masters.
1276 Words
