Barnum Posted December 3, 2007 Posted December 3, 2007 The blue-collar ninja took the knee to his chest. He was caught completely unprepared, and under the crushing power of the blow, he crumpled to the ground in a heap. The other ninjas continued their deadly dance. Now that they were only five, they changed their formation but not their tactics. They still attacked in three waves, each striking at the hero, trying to get past his defenses or make him overextend himself, all leading up to the final knife thrusts, but again, they were no match for the skill of Nightrival. He dodged and deflected their every attempt.
Barnum Posted December 3, 2007 Posted December 3, 2007 The blue-collar ninja took the knee to his chest. He was caught completely unprepared, and under the crushing power of the blow, he crumpled to the ground in a heap. The other ninjas continued their deadly dance. Now that they were only five, they changed their formation but not their tactics. They still attacked in three waves, each striking at the hero, trying to get past his defenses or make him overextend himself, all leading up to the final knife thrusts, but again, they were no match for the skill of Nightrival. He dodged and deflected their every attempt.
Barnum Posted December 3, 2007 Posted December 3, 2007 The blue-collar ninja took the knee to his chest. He was caught completely unprepared, and under the crushing power of the blow, he crumpled to the ground in a heap. The other ninjas continued their deadly dance. Now that they were only five, they changed their formation but not their tactics. They still attacked in three waves, each striking at the hero, trying to get past his defenses or make him overextend himself, all leading up to the final knife thrusts, but again, they were no match for the skill of Nightrival. He dodged and deflected their every attempt.
Shadowboxer Posted December 3, 2007 Author Posted December 3, 2007 Nightrival continues to watch the ninjas' feet after their second wave, tumbling along the street to keep one opponent in front of him and another behind him. He feints to the left then suddenly he pivots and commits to his right side. The ninjas dance in his periphery vision and their knives seem to reflect a silvery light directly into his mind, reminding him of the countless times he's drilled with a knife-wielding attacker. Master Lee's second lesson reverberates in his head: when facing multiple opponents, treat them like one fighter. Confuse those on the left while cracking down hard on the right. Let them do some work for me, he thinks. A slight grin forms under his mask.
Shadowboxer Posted December 3, 2007 Author Posted December 3, 2007 Nightrival continues to watch the ninjas' feet after their second wave, tumbling along the street to keep one opponent in front of him and another behind him. He feints to the left then suddenly he pivots and commits to his right side. The ninjas dance in his periphery vision and their knives seem to reflect a silvery light directly into his mind, reminding him of the countless times he's drilled with a knife-wielding attacker. Master Lee's second lesson reverberates in his head: when facing multiple opponents, treat them like one fighter. Confuse those on the left while cracking down hard on the right. Let them do some work for me, he thinks. A slight grin forms under his mask.
Shadowboxer Posted December 3, 2007 Author Posted December 3, 2007 Nightrival continues to watch the ninjas' feet after their second wave, tumbling along the street to keep one opponent in front of him and another behind him. He feints to the left then suddenly he pivots and commits to his right side. The ninjas dance in his periphery vision and their knives seem to reflect a silvery light directly into his mind, reminding him of the countless times he's drilled with a knife-wielding attacker. Master Lee's second lesson reverberates in his head: when facing multiple opponents, treat them like one fighter. Confuse those on the left while cracking down hard on the right. Let them do some work for me, he thinks. A slight grin forms under his mask.
Barnum Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 The ninjas grew more confident by Nightrival's inactivity. They attacked with renewed fervor, but with even less accuracy. As the last two ninjas lunged in for the kill, Nightrival was ready. The first blade came from the "ninja" wearing a dark brown leather jacket. Nightrival gracefully turned the blade away. The second blade came from the "ninja" wearing a Mets cap. Just as effortlessly, Nightrival deflected it, driving the second blade deep into the shoulder of the leather jacket. Blood poured freely from the wound, and the warrior collapsed to the ground, trying to stop the blood.
Barnum Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 The ninjas grew more confident by Nightrival's inactivity. They attacked with renewed fervor, but with even less accuracy. As the last two ninjas lunged in for the kill, Nightrival was ready. The first blade came from the "ninja" wearing a dark brown leather jacket. Nightrival gracefully turned the blade away. The second blade came from the "ninja" wearing a Mets cap. Just as effortlessly, Nightrival deflected it, driving the second blade deep into the shoulder of the leather jacket. Blood poured freely from the wound, and the warrior collapsed to the ground, trying to stop the blood.
Barnum Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 The ninjas grew more confident by Nightrival's inactivity. They attacked with renewed fervor, but with even less accuracy. As the last two ninjas lunged in for the kill, Nightrival was ready. The first blade came from the "ninja" wearing a dark brown leather jacket. Nightrival gracefully turned the blade away. The second blade came from the "ninja" wearing a Mets cap. Just as effortlessly, Nightrival deflected it, driving the second blade deep into the shoulder of the leather jacket. Blood poured freely from the wound, and the warrior collapsed to the ground, trying to stop the blood.
Shadowboxer Posted December 4, 2007 Author Posted December 4, 2007 Nightrival gazes over his shoulder to see the "ninja" behind him tumble to the ground. He can't help but smirk at the whole scene. He turns his head to the attacker facing him and his eyes bore holes into the ninja. Normally, he would switch fighting styles at this point, but with Master Lee nearby he knows the sifu would be pleased to see Nightrival take them down using traditional wushu, rather than using a modern technique. Besides, he needed the practice. Four left. I'll keep the bleeding one conscious. Someone needs to answer for this. Without warning, Nightrival lashes out with a lightning-fast iron palm strike at the closest ninja, driving his hand under his chin. The ninja's crumpled body flies across the street and smashes through a front window belonging to a video rental store, sending broken glass and movie posters all over the sidewalk. He immediately switches to Wu Xing Leopard Style, forfeiting any stance. Nightrival somersaults towards another nearby ninja, and just before his feet touch the ground he spins in mid-air and bludgeons the ninja with an outstretched half-open palm. His opponent lifts his arms to block the attack, but the sheer force of the punch slips between his arms and nearly tosses him to the end of the block. The ninja twirls in the air before slumping to the ground. Nightrival eases into a Praying Mantis stance, deeply exhaling as he stares at the final two opponents. The raging fire ripples the air around them, blending ash and smoke with the blood red leaves. "This is the part when you throw down your weapons and run away."
Shadowboxer Posted December 4, 2007 Author Posted December 4, 2007 Nightrival gazes over his shoulder to see the "ninja" behind him tumble to the ground. He can't help but smirk at the whole scene. He turns his head to the attacker facing him and his eyes bore holes into the ninja. Normally, he would switch fighting styles at this point, but with Master Lee nearby he knows the sifu would be pleased to see Nightrival take them down using traditional wushu, rather than using a modern technique. Besides, he needed the practice. Four left. I'll keep the bleeding one conscious. Someone needs to answer for this. Without warning, Nightrival lashes out with a lightning-fast iron palm strike at the closest ninja, driving his hand under his chin. The ninja's crumpled body flies across the street and smashes through a front window belonging to a video rental store, sending broken glass and movie posters all over the sidewalk. He immediately switches to Wu Xing Leopard Style, forfeiting any stance. Nightrival somersaults towards another nearby ninja, and just before his feet touch the ground he spins in mid-air and bludgeons the ninja with an outstretched half-open palm. His opponent lifts his arms to block the attack, but the sheer force of the punch slips between his arms and nearly tosses him to the end of the block. The ninja twirls in the air before slumping to the ground. Nightrival eases into a Praying Mantis stance, deeply exhaling as he stares at the final two opponents. The raging fire ripples the air around them, blending ash and smoke with the blood red leaves. "This is the part when you throw down your weapons and run away."
Shadowboxer Posted December 4, 2007 Author Posted December 4, 2007 Nightrival gazes over his shoulder to see the "ninja" behind him tumble to the ground. He can't help but smirk at the whole scene. He turns his head to the attacker facing him and his eyes bore holes into the ninja. Normally, he would switch fighting styles at this point, but with Master Lee nearby he knows the sifu would be pleased to see Nightrival take them down using traditional wushu, rather than using a modern technique. Besides, he needed the practice. Four left. I'll keep the bleeding one conscious. Someone needs to answer for this. Without warning, Nightrival lashes out with a lightning-fast iron palm strike at the closest ninja, driving his hand under his chin. The ninja's crumpled body flies across the street and smashes through a front window belonging to a video rental store, sending broken glass and movie posters all over the sidewalk. He immediately switches to Wu Xing Leopard Style, forfeiting any stance. Nightrival somersaults towards another nearby ninja, and just before his feet touch the ground he spins in mid-air and bludgeons the ninja with an outstretched half-open palm. His opponent lifts his arms to block the attack, but the sheer force of the punch slips between his arms and nearly tosses him to the end of the block. The ninja twirls in the air before slumping to the ground. Nightrival eases into a Praying Mantis stance, deeply exhaling as he stares at the final two opponents. The raging fire ripples the air around them, blending ash and smoke with the blood red leaves. "This is the part when you throw down your weapons and run away."
Barnum Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 "This is the part when you throw down your weapons and run away." The blue-collar ninjas did not respond to the taunt. They remained stone-faced and focused. Retreat was not an option; the mission was all that mattered. With knives still in hand, they launched a coordinated attack at Nightrival. One struck high and the other struck low, but they were outmatched in both skill and power. The hero easily deflected their attempts.
Barnum Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 "This is the part when you throw down your weapons and run away." The blue-collar ninjas did not respond to the taunt. They remained stone-faced and focused. Retreat was not an option; the mission was all that mattered. With knives still in hand, they launched a coordinated attack at Nightrival. One struck high and the other struck low, but they were outmatched in both skill and power. The hero easily deflected their attempts.
Barnum Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 "This is the part when you throw down your weapons and run away." The blue-collar ninjas did not respond to the taunt. They remained stone-faced and focused. Retreat was not an option; the mission was all that mattered. With knives still in hand, they launched a coordinated attack at Nightrival. One struck high and the other struck low, but they were outmatched in both skill and power. The hero easily deflected their attempts.
Shadowboxer Posted December 7, 2007 Author Posted December 7, 2007 Nightrival dives into a forward tumble, springing up when he reaches the closest ninja and swipes at his head with a ferocious leopard strike. The ninja ducks just in time as Nightrival's hand swoops over his head, missing him by an inch. He must have saw that one coming. Need to switch things up. He lowers himself closer to the ground and strikes a stance reminiscent of the Shaolin style, preparing himself for the next wave of knife-wielding ninjas.
Shadowboxer Posted December 7, 2007 Author Posted December 7, 2007 Nightrival dives into a forward tumble, springing up when he reaches the closest ninja and swipes at his head with a ferocious leopard strike. The ninja ducks just in time as Nightrival's hand swoops over his head, missing him by an inch. He must have saw that one coming. Need to switch things up. He lowers himself closer to the ground and strikes a stance reminiscent of the Shaolin style, preparing himself for the next wave of knife-wielding ninjas.
Shadowboxer Posted December 7, 2007 Author Posted December 7, 2007 Nightrival dives into a forward tumble, springing up when he reaches the closest ninja and swipes at his head with a ferocious leopard strike. The ninja ducks just in time as Nightrival's hand swoops over his head, missing him by an inch. He must have saw that one coming. Need to switch things up. He lowers himself closer to the ground and strikes a stance reminiscent of the Shaolin style, preparing himself for the next wave of knife-wielding ninjas.
Barnum Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 Nightrival was still recovering from his missed strike when the ninjas attacked again. This time their blades got much closer to the hero's flesh, but he was still able to deflect their blades.
Barnum Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 Nightrival was still recovering from his missed strike when the ninjas attacked again. This time their blades got much closer to the hero's flesh, but he was still able to deflect their blades.
Barnum Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 Nightrival was still recovering from his missed strike when the ninjas attacked again. This time their blades got much closer to the hero's flesh, but he was still able to deflect their blades.
Shadowboxer Posted December 8, 2007 Author Posted December 8, 2007 Nightrival intercepts one attack by blocking the ninja's wrist with his forearm, then pivots his shoulders to let the other ninja's knife slip past him. With one opponent trapped and the other left wide open, Nightrival sees his opportunity and slams his knee into the blocked opponent's chest. The ninja folds over like wet cardboard and is sent flying backwards into a streetlamp ten feet away, then rolls onto the ground. Nightrival immediately follows through with an upper-cut across the last ninja's jaw, who slumps onto the sidewalk. With all the ninjas unconscious, Nighrival straightens up and bows deeply to his fallen opponents. "It's been an honour," he says quietly. "But you guys need more practice." He walks over to the stabbed ninja and begins to search him for a cell phone by patting down his pockets.
Shadowboxer Posted December 8, 2007 Author Posted December 8, 2007 Nightrival intercepts one attack by blocking the ninja's wrist with his forearm, then pivots his shoulders to let the other ninja's knife slip past him. With one opponent trapped and the other left wide open, Nightrival sees his opportunity and slams his knee into the blocked opponent's chest. The ninja folds over like wet cardboard and is sent flying backwards into a streetlamp ten feet away, then rolls onto the ground. Nightrival immediately follows through with an upper-cut across the last ninja's jaw, who slumps onto the sidewalk. With all the ninjas unconscious, Nighrival straightens up and bows deeply to his fallen opponents. "It's been an honour," he says quietly. "But you guys need more practice." He walks over to the stabbed ninja and begins to search him for a cell phone by patting down his pockets.
Shadowboxer Posted December 8, 2007 Author Posted December 8, 2007 Nightrival intercepts one attack by blocking the ninja's wrist with his forearm, then pivots his shoulders to let the other ninja's knife slip past him. With one opponent trapped and the other left wide open, Nightrival sees his opportunity and slams his knee into the blocked opponent's chest. The ninja folds over like wet cardboard and is sent flying backwards into a streetlamp ten feet away, then rolls onto the ground. Nightrival immediately follows through with an upper-cut across the last ninja's jaw, who slumps onto the sidewalk. With all the ninjas unconscious, Nighrival straightens up and bows deeply to his fallen opponents. "It's been an honour," he says quietly. "But you guys need more practice." He walks over to the stabbed ninja and begins to search him for a cell phone by patting down his pockets.
Barnum Posted December 9, 2007 Posted December 9, 2007 In addition to several handfuls of useless, meaningless junk, the blue-collar ninja had a cell phone and a small slip of paper with an address on it. It would take some searching to find the exact location, but Nightrival instantly recognized the general area. It was most likely one of the many warehouses down in the Fens. It would be easy enough to locate with a little effort.
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