To Become a Shinobi Ch. 39
By Eliad Sholomovich

Ibuki flexed her arms and streched her limbs and continued to mentally prepare herself for battle.Several minutes passed and the battle in the ring ended, a few people hauled the loser out of the ring and cleaned the surface for the next battle. Then the crowd went silent when someone with a microphone entered the cage.

"The next battle will be Ibuki Vs. Birdie, Fighters please approach the ring" The man said.

Ibuki gave her bag to the bouncer and told him to take good care of it or else. He nodded and she went up to the ring. Then someone locked the door behind her "Huh? What the? Why'd they lock the door?" Ibuki wondered and entered her stance.She tapped her foot on the floor to see what material it was made of, Several clanging noises could be heard "Metal...But its covered with plastic, I wonder why they need a non conductive cover over this metalic floor" Ibuki wondered as she awaited her opponent.

A minute passed before the man with the Microphone raised his Mike again "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen but Birdie isn't in the building, so now we need a subsitute fighter..." He said before the Fight arranger gave him a note. The man with the mike gave the fight arranger a look of confusion, the arranger nodded and left.

The man with the microphone nodded "Well...it appears a subsitute is already on his way Ladies and Gentleman, So Please be patient until he arrives" He said in an hesitent voice.

"What in God's name is going on? And who the h*ll's my opponent for crying out loud!" Ibuki thought angrily and tapped her foot impatiently while crossing her arms. 10 minutes passed before she saw someone covered in a black cloak being led into the ring. His entire body and face were hidden by the cloak and his body was locked within big metal chains.

As he passed through the crowd people parted and gave the man space. Ibuki could see true fear in the eyes of the crowd as this man passed by them and towards the ring "Who is that guy? And why's everyone so freaked out with him? He doesn't look that special to me. She thought. Two people led him into the ring and then pushed him inside quickly , then they exited and locked the door again. One of them held a strange controller. He pushed a red button on it and the chains binding the man disconnected and fell to the ground. The man kicked them aside violently and gazed at Ibuki through his cloak. Ibuki gulped she could see two glowing purple eyes stare at her.

"Let the battle begin!" The man with the Microphone shouted and the crowd cheered loudly. Ibuki entered her stance while the man grabbed his cloak and ripped it apart.

Ibuki went wide eyed at his appearance "Yikes !What is that?"Ibuki thought her eyes widening in surprise and fear. Her opponent was a 6'6 hunched and extremly muscular man, His skin was dark green, and his eyes glowed with bright violet light. His hair was long,red and spikey.

"Ibuki Vs. Blanka!" The man with the mike shouted.

Blanka bared his sharp teeth and growled deeply at Ibuki. The latter gulped "Now this I defently didn't expect" She muttered under her breath. Blanka roared and lunged forward, Ibuki sidestepped and dodged a wild swing of his claws. He aimed a kick at her stomach, Ibuki swatted the kick and flipped backwards taking her distance from Blanka.

Blanka turned his gaze to her and growled, She bit her lower lip "Concentrate D**mit, Don't lose your cool,or the battle is already over, you just gotta ignore the fact a huge crazy beast is trying to rip you into shreds and fight! C'mon you've made it this far Ibuki, Put in some effort"Ibuki thought to herself and arranged her breath. Blanka's eyes were widened wildly and drool was dripping down his mouth, He lunged forward and swung his fist toward's her chest, Ibuki blocked the attack but staggered from the force behind the blow, Blanka then continued his offensive by swinging his foot towards her face, Ibuki managed to block the kick with her forearm and tried to gain some distance by taking a step backwards.

But Blanka didn't relent, he jumped forward and slashed with his claws towards her face, Ibuki barely managed to dodge the swipe this time, She spun around and forced her foot into Blanka's face in a powerful roundhouse motion, Then she stepped forward and punched his chest. As she tried to kick him again Blanka flipped backwards and nailed her chin with his feet, Ibuki reeled backwards and immeadiatly after landing Blanka leapt forward again. He successfully punched her face and then slashed at her side,Ibuki barely sidestepped and his claws only managed to scratch her ribcage, If she hadn't of moved the damage would have been fatal.

Ibuki bit her lip to withstand the burning pain she now felt from her ribcage, Blanka lunged forward yet again trying to bite Ibuki's neck this time,however Ibuki intercepted his Face with her fist, Then she uppercutted him and leapt backwards. "Sheesh this guy's crazy, how am I supposed to beat him" Ibuki thought. Blanka reeled backwards from the uppercut, then he shook his head and his eyes focused on her for a second as if in deep thought and then Blanka growled and held his temples with his hands,his face showing he was in great pain.

"What the heck? What's wrong with this guy?" Ibuki thought. Suddenly Blanka dashed forward and slammed both of his feet into her chest, Ibuki was pushed backards and hit the cage forcefully. Blanka then did a handstand and pushed himself forward. He somersaulted and brought himself down towards Ibuki. Ibuki sidestepped but as Blanka landed he slammed his fist into her lower back with great power before she could react.

Ibuki staggered and as Blanka rushed forward she struck, Her fist glowed in Blue and she slammed into Blanka's chest while Shouting "Raida!". Blanka was sent flying backwards, Ibuki didn't stop there, she leapt forward and stabbed his face with two powerful kicks.

Blanka reeled as Ibuki flipped backwards. After she landed on her feet she dashed forward again to continue her offensive. Blanka's eyes narrowed and his eyes filled with bright white electricity. Ibuki didn't notice this fact since Blanka's head was bowed as if in pain.Just as Ibuki was about to force her foot into Blanka's face his body burst with White electricity, Ibuki cried in pain as she was jolted by it.

She was hurled backwards by the force of the electricity. She landed on her back 5 feet away from Blanka. She moaned in pain and slowly rose to her knees. "What hit me?" She wondered.Meanwhile Blanka growled and lunged forward. Ibuki shook her head and saw Blanka rushing forward, She channled her Chi. As Blanka was at a 2 feet distance she launched herself into the air with a shout of "KazeKiri!". Blanka absorbed the full force of her Chi enveloped foot and was sent flying backwards.

buki landed on her feet, She inhaled deeply and tried to stop the room from spinning. Blanka rose to his feet and leapt backwards , he placed his feet onto the metal cage and sent himself forward, Ibuki narrowed her eyes "Gotta time this one right..." She muttered under her breath.

As Blanka's spinning body approached her, Ibuki tensed and as he reached the distance of 3 feet she leapt into the air, As Blanka passed under her she brought both feet downward, Blanka was pushed into the floor with great momentum. Despite his pain he landed on his hands and growled angrily.

Ibuki frowned as she landed a feet's distance from Blanka, He extended his foot and swept Ibuki's feet, She landed on her back with a clang and Blanka leapt into the air, He descended towards Ibuki his hand aimed at her chest, Ibuki rolled out of the way and Blanka's fist hit the metal platform making a deep dent. Blanka roared and swiped with his claws, Ibuki dodged, and ducked under the followup kick, Blanka then swung his claws again.

This time Ibuki blocked his attack and wrapped her hand around his wrist and pulled him forward, Blanka was surprised and fell victim to punch to the gut, then she forced his face onto her knee.

Blanka surprised her by Biting her arm as she let go of his head, Ibuki cried in surprise and pain, She headbutted Blanka and hit him with a jarring hook punch, Then she grabbed him and hurled him over her shoulder. Blanka collided with the metal cage and fell on his back. Ibuki grabbed her arms and winced. Blood was flowing freely from a few deep teeth marks. She ripped her sleeve and tied it around her wound in attempt to stop the blood from flowing.

While she was tending to her wound Blanka rose to his feet and dashed forward. Ibuki didn't notice him until it was too late, He grabbed her by the neck and choked her, Ibuki coughed and saw him raise his hand to strike. "S***...Gotta to do something...and fast...I know..." Ibuki thought and blocked his swipe with her forearm, Then she used her free arm to hold his wrist, She pushed her thumb in the pressure point in his wrist, thus forcing him to let go, She inhaled deeply and inhaled the oxygen she so urgently needed, Blanka in anger hit her with a backfist, Ibuki staggered and Blanka then lunged forward.

Ibuki channeled her Chi and a blue aura surrounded her as she leapt backwards avoiding his lunge. She reached for her Kunai while Shouting "Kasumi Suzaku!!!", She reached for her belt and while enhancing her speed with her Chi began throwing Kunai at a frightning rate, She threw them all hilt first.

Blanka was pelted by the rain of Dagger hilts and soon he was lying on the ground, His entire body bruised, a few of his Ribs had broken and his mouth was full of blood as he had broken three teeth. Blanka lay on his knees weakened. Ibuki landed on her feet and shook her head, The great usage of Chi had weakened her considerably. Blanka opened his eyes and gazed at Ibuki, "Why Am I fighting her? I don't want to...Ahhhh..." Blanka thought as a jolt of electricity struck his spine and filled his head with one thought and one thought only: To kill. Blanka summoned his Chi and his eyes filled with bright electricity.

He roared in Anger and released his Chi, A huge projectile of Electricity soared out of his palms towards Ibuki. Ibuki shook her head and then noticed the projectile flying towards her "What the?" She thought as it came closer and closer.

Ibuki did a split and the projectile passed over her head and hit the metal Cage, The entire Cage glowed with the raging power that Blanka had released. Ibuki rose to her feet, And coughed, She had lost quite some blood from her injury at the beginning of the fight. Blanka was exhausted but the Control Chip wouldn't let him rest, it would allow him to give up, it kept pushing him onwards.

Blanka shook his head and lunged forward, he started swinging his claws wildly, Ibuki sweated as she desperatly attempted to dodge the wild swings, She cried his pain as Blanka ripped through her shoulder and then kicked her chest, Ibuki staggered and Blanka continued his offensive blitz by rolling into a ball and hit Ibuki with his body, She fell on her back and groaned in Pain, Blanka loomed over her and his eyes filled with electricity.

Ibuki winced and took out a Kunai, "Must...Attack now...Can't let him finish me off..." Ibuki thought and procured a Kunai, It was covered with her own blood which was flowing from the wound in her ribcage.

Blanka lunged his body surrounded with electricity, Ibuki threw the Kunai with all her force, It was aimed at his lower abdomen, It sunk deep and Blanka collapsed from his lunge onto his knees, He bared his teeth and cried in agony as he took out the Ninja dagger and threw it aside. He rose to his feet and Ibuki felt the shreds of hope escape her. Blanka looked at her with a murderous look, Ibuki bit her lip til blood appeared to choke the pain as she rose to her feet.Blanka shook his head and crouched, Ibuki tensed her body in preperation for his next attack.

Blanka growled loudly and lunged forward, Ibuki wasn't ready for his attack. Blanka tackeled Ibuki, He loomed over her and held her hair with one hand and pinned her to the ground with his other one, He bared his sharp teeth and growled, His blood dripped from his open wound staining Ibuki's uniform, Ibuki read his face and saw the exhaustion and pain, Ibuki was petrified with fear "This is the end..." Ibuki thought as Blanka lowered his head towards her neck in the attempt to rip her throat out.

Ibuki out of pure instinct raised her hands and grabbed both of his jaws one in each hand. His teeth were piercing her skin and flesh, blood flew down her hands. Ibuki could silence herself no longer and cried in pain, Sweat dripped down her forehead, and Blood stained her uniform. Blanka kept pushing himself downwards, His teeth sinking deeper and deeper into her hands.

Ibuki vision was getting hazy, waves of pain coursed through She couldn't keep this up for much longer. Her mind was screaming for her to give in and rest, Her body quaked in pain. But her will kept her awake, She needed to win, to continue, She promised her mom to return and she wouldn't let her down. In one fluid motion she pushed Blanka's face backwards while releasing her tortured hands, Blanka's jaw closed upon itself with great force, But that was Ibuki's plan as Blanka had bitten his own tongue, Blood spilled out of his mouth as he growled in Pain. Ibuki needed to knock him out and fast before he could recover and she would collapse.

She rose to her feet and summoned the last of her strength and slammed both hands unto Blanka's Temples. The blow sent the Brazilian off balance and he hit his head on the Metal floor, Thus knocking himself out.

The crowd roared wildly, Ibuki leaned on the cage and smiled. She had won. "I can't believe I did it...I really can't..." Ibuki thought. But then her spirits fell as she heard a deep growl from behind. She was too exhausted and could fight no more. Blanka's mouth was dripping blood and drool, Three teeth were broken but his eyes seemed calm and were no longer purple, instead they were dark brown.

Ibuki prepared herself for defeat and possibly death when Blanka suddenly leapt over her and crashed into the door knocking it open. He growled and the crowd fled in fear. Ibuki stood in shock and looked at his back and saw a wound in the base of his spine was bleeding some strange black substance. Ibuki blocked the thought out of her head as her body was slowly collapsing due to weakness. She held her bleeding arm and coughed violently. She exhaled deeply and limped towards the opening.

The crowd was gone except one American soldier who she recognized as Guile, He was smiling and clapping, The last thing she saw was his expression turn into one of fear and him running towards her before her weakness got the better of her and she fainted before reaching the exit of the cage.