[A tingling thrum jumps from his elbow to his pinky when it hits the mask that doesn't budge. He didn't even care if it came off, only that it caused a distraction, but Cunning is quick with retaliation.
He coughs out his grunt, and then he jumps back to put distance between them, hand rising to press over the ache against his ribs. Poor Senri. He's SORRY. It takes a moment or two before he can straighten back up, but he does swing the sword around to guard in case Cunning gets feisty.]
Why are all of you hiding? What purpose is there in concealing who you are?
[He's busy standing his ground and calculating his next move, not quite swinging yet but watching Sasuke's hands and his feet in case that trip wire comes back.]
One of the rules, one of the ways to ensure you're with us because of the ideals. And some of us just don't want to be seen. [A downward thrust and strike follows to punctuate that statement.]
[Sasuke has had a bit of time to recover. He throws up the sword to parry, but spends more time trying to dodge because he now knows Cunning beats him in the strength department right now.
For now, he wants to keep his distance and not be as rash as he could be.]
Not a bad rule. If I had my eyes, you’d be doing what I want.
What, are they hypnotic or something? [Cunning has sheer strength on his side but he's not letting his guard down, watching Sasuke carefully and keeping his sword ready to block in case.] Or are you saying that to try and psych me out?
The rinnegan can control even the Tailed Beasts. The only thing between you and your servantile misery would be the mask.
[He brings the sword around, flipping it over his wrist and catching it again. And then he charges for once, offering Cunning a combo of several mid-level strikes.]
Big words for a little threat. [There's a hiss though because Sasuke's suddenly charging and at least one of those strikes clocks him in the arm. He's keeping up as best as he can, sword pivoting in a very obviously-not Japanese style of swordfighting as he works on stepping out to the side and trying to disarm him again.]
Good thing it's just a test of skills then, isn't it?
[He attacks in a long string, and then he withdraws, making Cunning have to dance with him. Giving a little of his strength and then pulling away before he can get caught.]
Nn--
[He attacks again, but without his chakra, he's getting tired faster than he would have ever been tired. He has no reserves to draw on. The swords hook, and Cunning can easily toss his.
It zips over and lands, but the wire connected to it shines briefly, and he starts scrambling to wind his hand while raising the other arm and preparing to become liquid dexterity if Cunning makes a swing.]
[Of course he's swinging. He's ruthless with this kind of thing, attempting to knock Sasuke back with the flat of his blade now that he doesn't have a sword and he's stepping in close enough to continue forcing him back.
Sasuke can get the wire twined, but he keeps having to dodge back after sliding from the shove. This isn't damn sword baseball!! He can't--stand long enough--to--
Quickly, he dives in suddenly toward Cunning rather than running away, getting rid of the space to move. He raises his arm and blocks the swing by letting their forearms hit, but he doesn't attack. Instead, he leaps up on Cunning's thighs and springboards off, flips, lands several feet away.
With one rough yank, he jerks the wire and pulls his own sword back to his hand, though it does have to go by Cunning to get to him. Don't get cut? Don't grab it?]
Hey! [He is not a springboard you stupid ninja-y fuck!!! Sasuke lands away, and yet Cunning apparently doesn't care or he lives dangerously because Sasuke tries to grab for his sword with the zip-wire and Cunning's hand reaches out to try and grab the sword by the hilt.
Being a god with the power to steal things, this may or may not work.]
The line goes taut, and Sasuke staggers forward just a bit. He pulls on his arm, unraveling the wire, though his hand holds onto what he can of it--shit. He doesn't want to break it... and yet, if Cunning pulls on the sword, he staggers forward more, little by little.]
Despite digging his feet in, the pull is strong enough to get him closer and closer. He doesn't waste energy trying to fight it. Cunning outclasses him in strength and reach, but... he still has his agility. If he can make it count.
He waits until he gets as close as he dares, pretending to be fearful of the outcome, pretending as if he has no aces left.
Once he's near Cunning, he moves. He lets go of the wire with his hand, reaching up with the other to yank the armband off. But immediately upon abandoning it, he flips backward onto his palms and swings his leg leg up to try to either catch Cunning in the chin or get Cunning to make distance.
[There's distance because even Cunning's not dumb enough to catch someone's actively moving leg and he steps back, taking the wire with him and tossing it aside. With the distance between them, he's rushing once again to try and strike as Sasuke regains his balance.
It's a good fight, truthfully. Cunning's going to walk away from this being fairly impressed.]
[There's so little time between his land and balance and Cunning's rush. He's so!! tired!! This is incredibly frustrating for someone normally so strong, running off reserves instead of only fumes.
He scrambles to tuck and dodge. The sword glances off his right shoulder, and he hisses loudly as he crashes along the ground after trying to duck even lower unsteadily. This time, it takes him a bit to start to try pushing himself up to his hands and knees.]
[For a moment, with Cunning not attacking, he tries to catch his breath. One hand digs into the ground beneath him, the other rises to touch his shoulder. When he pulls it away, the palm is bloody.
Damn. Senri.
He looks back up at Cunning. When he stands again finally, he turns to the side to balance his stance.] It isn't over... until you give me the lighter... or you knock me out. [The wind up is sudden and like a baseball pitcher.
Even if it wasn't meant to do any damage, he slings the rock in his hand at Cunning with as much force as possible. But as soon as it leaves his palm, he drops and charges.
[Is it not baseball because Cunning takes the blade and swings like a baseball bat anyway to block the rock. It barely gives him time to catch on to what Sasuke's doing but as the swings come he's tempted to drop the sword and switch to hand to hand. Then again, not having a weapon means being defenseless.
He's keeping up, and this is really over a lighter? For a moment Cunning things before he growls.]
Back down, Sasuke. [It's a challenge, maybe, and the sword blocks again.]
The frustration and exhaustion boils over, and he keeps swinging a few more times before he... just... slows to a stop. He stands there, shoulders and chest heaving, trying to catch his breath, his knuckles white from how tight his fists are balled.
As limited as he is, he still wanted to keep fighting. It felt... familiar, natural. Something he could relate to rather than be surrounded by the people in this place, the rules of this game.
[It's only when Sasuke stops that Cunning also stops, sword slung over his shoulder and watching his opponent carefully. It's hard to see under the mask and the robes, but he's pretty wound up even if not necessarily winded thanks to being a god.
...nevertheless, he reaches into his pocket and tosses Sasuke an item.
It's the lighter.]
Don't ever use this on me or my stuff again. Got it?
[His hand is quick when it snaps up to catch the lighter. He brings his hand down to look it over, turning it around carefully. Thinking.
His other hand plucks something out of the pocket of his pants, something small, and he pushes it hastily inside his mouth. Looks up at Cunning. There's a popping crunch, like chewing candy or ice, and then he raises the lighter jerk his thumb down over the wheel. An inhale through his nose.
He knows Cunning is too far away, and he knows Cunning will dodge, but that isn't the point.
Out of his mouth, he spits a blast of kerosene directly through the flames of the lighter in Cunning's direction. It ignites into an arcing stream of flame, expelling outward, but it only lasts for a few seconds before dying away. He turns his head and spits the pieces of the capsule onto the ground with the taste of kerosene.
[For whatever reason, Cunning doesn't even bother taking a step back when the fire roars directly in his face. He just holds his ground and shakes his head.]
[Carefully, he tosses the lighter and catches it, and then he puts it in his pocket. On his way out of the arena, he stops to get the armband, but leaves the sword, and then he gets his jacket to shrug back onto his shoulders.
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He coughs out his grunt, and then he jumps back to put distance between them, hand rising to press over the ache against his ribs. Poor Senri. He's SORRY. It takes a moment or two before he can straighten back up, but he does swing the sword around to guard in case Cunning gets feisty.]
Why are all of you hiding? What purpose is there in concealing who you are?
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One of the rules, one of the ways to ensure you're with us because of the ideals. And some of us just don't want to be seen. [A downward thrust and strike follows to punctuate that statement.]
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[Sasuke has had a bit of time to recover. He throws up the sword to parry, but spends more time trying to dodge because he now knows Cunning beats him in the strength department right now.
For now, he wants to keep his distance and not be as rash as he could be.]
Not a bad rule. If I had my eyes, you’d be doing what I want.
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[He brings the sword around, flipping it over his wrist and catching it again. And then he charges for once, offering Cunning a combo of several mid-level strikes.]
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Good thing it's just a test of skills then, isn't it?
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Nn--
[He attacks again, but without his chakra, he's getting tired faster than he would have ever been tired. He has no reserves to draw on. The swords hook, and Cunning can easily toss his.
It zips over and lands, but the wire connected to it shines briefly, and he starts scrambling to wind his hand while raising the other arm and preparing to become liquid dexterity if Cunning makes a swing.]
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Who's going to win this thing? We don't know.]
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Sasuke can get the wire twined, but he keeps having to dodge back after sliding from the shove. This isn't damn sword baseball!! He can't--stand long enough--to--
Quickly, he dives in suddenly toward Cunning rather than running away, getting rid of the space to move. He raises his arm and blocks the swing by letting their forearms hit, but he doesn't attack. Instead, he leaps up on Cunning's thighs and springboards off, flips, lands several feet away.
With one rough yank, he jerks the wire and pulls his own sword back to his hand, though it does have to go by Cunning to get to him. Don't get cut? Don't grab it?]
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Being a god with the power to steal things, this may or may not work.]
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The line goes taut, and Sasuke staggers forward just a bit. He pulls on his arm, unraveling the wire, though his hand holds onto what he can of it--shit. He doesn't want to break it... and yet, if Cunning pulls on the sword, he staggers forward more, little by little.]
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Next step? [It's not even taunting, he's just asking to see if Sasuke can get himself out of this one.]
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Despite digging his feet in, the pull is strong enough to get him closer and closer. He doesn't waste energy trying to fight it. Cunning outclasses him in strength and reach, but... he still has his agility. If he can make it count.
He waits until he gets as close as he dares, pretending to be fearful of the outcome, pretending as if he has no aces left.
Once he's near Cunning, he moves. He lets go of the wire with his hand, reaching up with the other to yank the armband off. But immediately upon abandoning it, he flips backward onto his palms and swings his leg leg up to try to either catch Cunning in the chin or get Cunning to make distance.
Or, uh, catch his leg.]
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It's a good fight, truthfully. Cunning's going to walk away from this being fairly impressed.]
THAT WAS WILD anyhow
He scrambles to tuck and dodge. The sword glances off his right shoulder, and he hisses loudly as he crashes along the ground after trying to duck even lower unsteadily. This time, it takes him a bit to start to try pushing himself up to his hands and knees.]
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Damn. Senri.
He looks back up at Cunning. When he stands again finally, he turns to the side to balance his stance.] It isn't over... until you give me the lighter... or you knock me out. [The wind up is sudden and like a baseball pitcher.
Even if it wasn't meant to do any damage, he slings the rock in his hand at Cunning with as much force as possible. But as soon as it leaves his palm, he drops and charges.
Here he comes, flying in swinging punches.]
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He's keeping up, and this is really over a lighter? For a moment Cunning things before he growls.]
Back down, Sasuke. [It's a challenge, maybe, and the sword blocks again.]
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The frustration and exhaustion boils over, and he keeps swinging a few more times before he... just... slows to a stop. He stands there, shoulders and chest heaving, trying to catch his breath, his knuckles white from how tight his fists are balled.
As limited as he is, he still wanted to keep fighting. It felt... familiar, natural. Something he could relate to rather than be surrounded by the people in this place, the rules of this game.
But he doesn't try to attack again.]
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...nevertheless, he reaches into his pocket and tosses Sasuke an item.
It's the lighter.]
Don't ever use this on me or my stuff again. Got it?
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His other hand plucks something out of the pocket of his pants, something small, and he pushes it hastily inside his mouth. Looks up at Cunning. There's a popping crunch, like chewing candy or ice, and then he raises the lighter jerk his thumb down over the wheel. An inhale through his nose.
He knows Cunning is too far away, and he knows Cunning will dodge, but that isn't the point.
Out of his mouth, he spits a blast of kerosene directly through the flames of the lighter in Cunning's direction. It ignites into an arcing stream of flame, expelling outward, but it only lasts for a few seconds before dying away. He turns his head and spits the pieces of the capsule onto the ground with the taste of kerosene.
And then he smirks.]
Thanks.
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Anything else? [You goddamn edgelord.]
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[Carefully, he tosses the lighter and catches it, and then he puts it in his pocket. On his way out of the arena, he stops to get the armband, but leaves the sword, and then he gets his jacket to shrug back onto his shoulders.
He pauses.]
Another time.
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If I'm not here, the armory. Another time.