The New Winds

Please conduct your match here!

Kazuko appears nonchalant as she steps up to the ring, but her clenched jaw and narrowed eyes toward her opponent betray the emotion within. Did Qiang really think it would be okay to inflict serious harm on Kenji simply because he's a Crane, because the kami will heal him, and that the incident would disappear if the wounds did? Did he really think that he could simply get away with a slap on the wrist, that no one, even her, would remember it? How detestable. Laughable, even. The universe has given her the opportunity to beat, if not humiliate, Qiang in front of hundreds of people and ensure this moment goes down in history. She won't squander it. Truly, she must be blessed.

"Matsu-san."

A brief acknowledgement and a bow is all he gets as Kazuko takes her stance. She's been looking forward to this and she won't waste a second longer.

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D7 EE Initiative: 5d10o10k4+14 61 yeah um i dont think u ever go first so im just going to roll assessment too
D7 EE Iaijutsu (Assessment)/Awareness, TN40 (5 Raises, VP): 10d10ro1o10k6 48
5 raises means I get to know everything (Void, Void Ring, Reflexes, TN, Emphasis, Earth Ring)

“Kakita-san,” Qiang acknowledged, with a precise bow. As he fell into a practiced dueling stance, Qiang remembered the girl who had gone over the school wall with him and the other students, back in Hirosaka. They had all gotten in trouble with the headmaster afterwards. That girl was gone now, he knew; gone, and replaced by this implacable enemy.

Such was karma.

—
Day 7 duel with Kazuko, initiative REF/rank: 4d10o10k3 22 activate kata
Day 7 duel with Kazuko, assessment with no raises AWA/Iaijutsu (Assessment) +kata +Void Point TN15: 10d10ro1o10k6+5 61 succeeds with 4 exceptional successes
Asking: TN to be hit, current void, emphases, Reflexes, Earth
Qiang’s void ring is 4. After spending a point this round, he has 1 void point remaining. His reflexes are 3. TN is 20. Emphases are Assessment, Focus and Strike. Earth is 3.

Likewise, the determined and innocent boy Kazuko once knew has been replaced.

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ATN: 25
VP: 4 after Assessement
Emphases: Assessment, Focus, Strike
Reflexes: 4
Earth: 3
D7 EE Iaijutsu (Focus)/Void (Honor, VP): 10d10ro1o10k10+23 84 ouch all of my focus rolls have been shitty... under the 50% mark

Best not to think of the girl she once was, Qiang decided. Her form was excellent; she was a formidable opponent, and it would be foolish to underestimate her.

He focused his eyes on her center - the source of her chi. When her center began to move, Qiang instinctively began to move to counterattack....

-
Day 7 duel with Kazuko, focus, contested VOID/Iaijutsu (Focus) +mastery +center +kata +won assessment +heart +void point +strength of honor: 10d10ro1o10k10+26 95
I think Qiang is currently winning by 11 - going to wait before rolling strike to see if you see anything wrong?

As the Crane began to raise her sword, the Matsu’s practice sword connected with her forearm. Qiang held back from delivering a full-strength blow, but the force of the strike still stung.

—
Day 7 duel with Kazuko, strike with free raise to reduce TN, REF/Iaijutsu (Strike) +center +kata TN20: 9d10ro1o10k4+9 34 hits with 1 exceptional success
Day 7 duel with Kazuko, damage with 1 free raise to damage, 0k1 +Strength +mastery +technique: 7d10o10l1+7 8

Kakita Kazuko is eliminated
Matsu Qiang wins, becoming the winner of the Iaijutsu tournament, gains 12 points for a new total of 345

The crowd is stunned and silence fills the Academy, everyone just staring at the scene in front of them. An age old grudge match, Kakita against Matsu, but this time the Matsu won. Many fans pop open after a few moments and whispers grow.

Kakita Toshimoko and Akodo Eiko both nod in agreement, and Toshimoko declares Qiang the winner, giving him a small bow and a "Congratulations" though his eyes show a cold anger, which he then directs at Kazuko, a look that says "You have failed us"

Matsu Qiang bowed low to Kakita Toshimoko. The young Lion held his tongue, but his heart pounded and his eyes were filled with triumph.