Celestial Tournament! Chapter 7

Rivals
Kenshin and Miyaki barely get our of their beds because of the injuries they got in the preliminary round.

Kenshin: Damn that hitman guy...my shoulder still hurts like hell.

Miyaki: My entire body hurts Hooded Friend!

Miyaki jumps on Kenshin's bed and hugs him.

Miyaki: I might even...die!

With an annoyed look on his face, Kenshin pushes Miyaki away from him.

Kenshin: My wish is not gonna come true that easily.

Miyaki: Hey, we have two days until the group stage, so we should try having some fun in the meantime, right?

Kenshin: If by fun you mean getting ourselves in trouble, no thanks.

Miyaki happily pats Kenshin on his back.

Miyaki: I knew you would approve! So let's go!

Miyaki changes his clothes and prepares to leave, waiting for Kenshin.

Miyaki: Come on lazy friend!

Kenshin: I figured arguing with you would be a waste of time, so I will just approve of everything you say and do things the way I want.

Miyaki pokes Kenshin's left shoulder and starts running.

Kenshin: THAT HURT YOU IDIOT!! COME BACK HERE!! I swear I'm gonna...

''Miyaki ignores Kenshin's words and keeps running. Kenshin quickly picks his cloak and swords, then starts running after Miyaki, catching him after a long distance.''

Miyaki: I knew that would work! I outsmarted you, Hooded Friend!

Kenshin starts cracking his knuckles.

Kenshin: You didn't really think of what's gonna happen after though, right?

An empty look can be seen on Miyaki's face, who's trying to find a way to run away from Kenshin.

Miyaki: Well...you see...SOMEBODY HELP!!

''Kenshin covers Miyaki's mouth and starts beating him up in a comical way. After some time, the two are seen in a restaurant. They are having a normal discussion that Kenshin seems to actually enjoy. The two spend the entire day together, visiting different beautiful places on Tengoku Island. During this day, Kenshin was able to find out that Miyaki actually came on Tengoku Island before, which is why he knows it so well. The night comes and the two start walking home.''

Miyaki: This really was a fun day, wasn't it, Hooded Friend?

Kenshin: Surprisingly, it really was.

''Suddenly, the two hear some noise that catches their attention. They both look to their right, where there was a large forest.''

Miyaki: That sounds like...

Kenshin: A fight.

''Kenshin starts running towards the forest, trying to look for the people that were fighting. After running a short distance, he hides inside a bush and looks at two persons that were fiercly looking at each other. One of them was the masked man.''

Kenshin: [The intimidating guy from the first day...]

''The other one was wearing a black suit, gloves and glasses. His hair was short and blonde.''

Kenshin: [I'm really wondering how strong these guys are.]

Suddenly, Miyaki jumps near Kenshin.

Kenshin: GAH! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU...

Nervously, Miyaki covers Kenshin's mouth and starts whispering.

Miyaki: Be quiet, Hooded Friend. You really won't want to get involved in a fight with any of these two.

Kenshin: Why? Who are they?

Miyaki: The masked man's name is Aleksander, but people call him simply Sander. He's really strong, most probably one of the strongest participants. The other one...is even more dangerous, but mostly because of his status. He is the head of the family leading Tengoku Island. In other words, he's the first man below Saint Caligula!

Kenshin: Why would...someone like him, actually fight in the tournament?

Miyaki: His name is Takashi and he doesn't enjoy giving orders, he preferes doing things by himself. If anybody disobeys him...he's not gonna call someone to take care of that person, he will crush that person by himself.

Kenshin: Hmph.

Takashi: I'm completely against your reason for joining the tournament.

Sander: So I guess the little prince is gonna do something about this?

Some kind of liquid metal is seen floating around Takashi's body, while he's slowly arranging his glasses.

Takashi: You bet, scum.

Takashi points his right hand at Sander, and in an instant, two jets of liquid metal are sent flying towards him.

Kenshin: What is...that power?

Miyaki: It's the Gokin Gokin no Mi (Alloy Alloy Fruit), giving him the ability to create and manipulate liquid metal and shaping it however he wants. More than that, he can solidify it.

''Each jet takes the shape of a fist. In the last second, Sander, with an acrobatic move, dodges both of them and gently touches the bar of metal that was left behind the fists when Takashi soldified the liquid metal.''

Kenshin: What about the masked man? What's his ability?

Miyaki: His Devil Fruit is pretty scary...

''All the metal suddenly disappears. Instead of the liquid metal, two spears made of fire are seen flying towards Takashi. Kenshin watches the entire scene very surprised.''

Kenshin: How...was he able to do that?

Miyaki: The Genshi Genshi no Mi (Atom Atom Fruit). He can manipulate the atoms of every non organic object he touches and change it into whatever he wants. Basically...both of them can be considered some kind of artists.

With a very calm expression on his face, Takashi creates a wall of metal in front of him, easily blocking the two fire spears.

Takashi: Is that really all you can do with a Devil Fruit as strong as yours? How pathetic...

Sander tries to dash towards Takashi, however, he notices that he can't move his right foot.

Sander: What the...

''Sander takes a look at his right foot, that was covered with liquid metal that became solid. He also notices a small crack in the ground that they produced earlier in their fight and that is filled with liquid metal.''

Takashi: A brilliant mind like mine can be seen in battle as well. You only rely on your power, which might be great, but against someone like me, it's useless.

Sander: Thanks for whatever that was supposed to be.

Takashi seemingly gets irritated by Sander's words.

Takashi: Stupid inferior creature...

''Takashi raises both his hands, raising big amounts of liquid metal as well from the ground around him. Shortly after, two huge hands are formed out of the metal.''

Takashi: Alloy Clap!

''Takashi simply claps his hands and the two hands imitate his move, attempting to crush Sander. However, Sander pushes his hands into the metal hands, and before these could crush his body, he starts manipulating their atomic structure, creating two swords for himself.''

Takashi: Interesting, so you can stand to something of that level.

Sander gently touches the metal on his right foot and makes it disappear.

Sander: I'm bored, and I'm not sure if it's because of your style of fighting or your useless talking. Since you were the one that wanted to fight me in the first place, can we raise the level a little bit.

Takashi: I find it really amusing that you have such recklessness to talk to me like that.

Takashi arranges his glasses once again and many blades are seen being formed around him.

Takashi: You might really anger me, and that's bad.

Takashi launches hundreds of blades flying towards Sander.

Takashi: Alloy Army!!

Sander: Better now...Leiko.

Sander recklessly dashes towards the blades.

Kenshin: Leiko? Wasn't his name Takashi?

Miyaki: Yeah, but that's how Sander calls him, since it means arrogance.

Miyaki starts laughing silently.

Miyaki: Now that I think about it, he might call you the same if you ever fight him.

''With incredibly fast moves, Sander blocks all the blades using the two swords. After finishing with the wave of blades, Sander changes the swords into a little stone.''

Takashi: Are you kidding? How is that supposed to be...

Before he could finish his sentence, Takashi gets hit in the forehead with the stone Sander made and starts bleeding.

Sander: Gotha, prince.

Takashi's entire body starts trembling in anger.

Takashi: A scum like you...to hurt someone like me...

Liquid metal can be seen raising in the air, out of Takashi's back.

Takashi: Alloy Guardian!!

After a few seconds, the mass of liquid metal takes the shape of a giant soldier and becomes solid.

Takashi: Someone as you should only stay beneath the ground.

The giant soldier lowers his fist towards the ground, aiming to crush Sander.

Sander: I might listen to you once.

''Sander crouches and places both his palms on the ground, creating a large hole in which he falls. The fist of the metal soldier crushes the entire area, creating a wind current strong enough to push Kenshin and Miyaki back.''

Miyaki: Wow! Are you alright, Hooded Friend?

Miyaki takes a look at Kenshin who was grinning like a maniac.

Miyaki: [Don't tell me you actually want to...]

A large hole appears in the ground behind Takashi.

Takashi: An attack from behind, I would expect nothing less from...

Suddenly, the giant metal soldier gets disintegrated.

Takashi: What...?

''Instead of it appears a huge halbred, the size of a human body. Sander is seen coming out of the hole he first fell into.''

Sander: Why do you take your eyes off your creation so easily? It's like you don't even care about it.

''Sander points his index finger at Takashi and the giant halbred starts flying towards him. Takashi starts creating a wall of metal in front of him to block the attack, but he suddenly gets stabbed by a large number of spears.''

Sander: It's over, Leiko.

A shocked look can be seen on Takashi's face as most of his body gets cut in half by the giant halbred.

Kenshin: Incredible...that guy is...

Miyaki: Dead? Not really...

Takashi's destroyed body transforms into liquid metal.

Miyaki: The Gokin Gokin no Mi is actually a Logia.

''Sander notices some liquid metal near him and quickly realizes Takashi is gonna regenerate his body there. Before he could get away from it, Takashi reforms his body out of the small amount of liquid metal and makes his right fist black using Busoshoku Haki: Koka.''

Takashi: It's time I actually see your face!

Takashi powerfully punches Sander in the face, attempting to destroy his mask, however, with no effect.

Takashi: Your mask...no matter how hard it is, it shouldn't be able to stand...

''Sander calmly grabs Takashi's right arm and moves it out of his face. Takashi's fist returns to normal.''

Sander: I guess my Haki is superior to yours?

Takashi: Nothing regarding you is superior to me.

''Takashi transforms his right arm into liquid metal to escape Sander's grip, then jumps away from the masked man and reforms his arm. In the same time, Kenshin is seen drawing out one of his swords.''

Kenshin: This looks like so much fun. No way I'm staying out of it.

Miyaki: Wait! You shouldn't!

Ignoring Miyaki, Kenshin carefully covers his face and starts walking towards the two.

Miyaki: PLEASE STOP, HOODED FRIEND!!

Miyaki jumps on Kenshin from behind, stopping him.

Kenshin: GET OFF ME! I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT!

Sander and Takashi hear the two screaming and they quickly turn towards them.

Sander: Shit! Someone actually was watching us!

In an instant, Sander jumps between some trees and disappears.

Takashi: [If Saint Caligula finds out I fought outside the tournament...I might not only get disqualified, but also punished!]

Takashi transforms his entire body into liquid metal and enters in one of the holes created by Sander earlier during their fight.

Kenshin: Eh? They...THEY RAN AWAY??

Miyaki: BE GLAD IT WAS LIKE THAT!! IF THEY ACTUALLY ATTACKED US, WE MIGHT HAVE DIED!!

Kenshin: STOP BEING A COWARD!!

Miyaki grabs Kenshin by his shirt with a serious look on his face.

Miyaki: These two guys...what you seen right now was them fooling around with each other. They are some kind of rivals and would never actually try to kill each other...inside the ring...they are completely different.

Kenshin: Miyaki...

Miyaki: I don't know if you really consider me your friend...but I care enough about you to not let you go to a certain death like that.

Miyaki lets go of Kenshin's shirt and starts walking away.

Miyaki: As I said...Sander is really strong...but you don't want to fight Takashi...

Miyaki's eyes are shadowed as he shows the most serious look ever.

Miyaki: He's known for completely destroying his opponents, making them unable to ever fight again...or even killing them.

Kenshin starts walking away calmly, passing Miyaki.

Kenshin: I want to face both of them during the tournament.

Miyaki: Are you cra...

Kenshin: And also...

Kenshin turns towards Miyaki and looks in his eyes with a grin full of excitement on his face.

Kenshin: I want to fight you, Miyaki.