Man to man, this time. (Raiden)

[Tristan Knightrhode]

Tristan walked out into the training grounds, having put out a challenge to the demon boy from that time ago. The boy had fought against Igneus in that first round, so now it was Tristan's go. The hunter stopped in the designated place, a medium sized clearing a few hundred yards from the edge of the main body of trees in the fighting-designated area.

This was the perfect location as speed could go against speed through the trees as well as through the clearing, not to mention, spells could be deflected off of, or even aimed at the trees for any sort desired effect. Not to mention the aerial benifits atop the trees, should Tristan have to take flight in either of his forms.

There were other benifits as well, but that would be giving too much away now wouldnt it?

Tristan leaned against one of the trees, all of his weapons on him, including the .30-06. You never know what your going to get against a demon, whether your killing him or not.

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden walked into a training grounds with a strange look on his face. Raiden recalled an event a short while ago. The guy dressed in black with the dragon had decided that this time he would fight against Raiden. Raiden always being silent didn't really now what to say. He didn't decline or walk away, but rather nodded yes accepting the man's request. Well, now today's the day and Raiden's challenge is due in the training grounds.

Raiden walked through the forest finally making it to the opening which the man had told Raiden about. Raiden looked around and spotted the man. He walked towards him and stopped a few meters away from him. Raiden was carrying his katana along with his much like gauntlet on his left. Raiden nodded towards the guy. "I'm here..." he said.

[Tristan Knightrhode]

Tristan looked up to see his opponent. He'd heard foot steps approaching, but it could have been anybody until he'd said something. "Good. After that first encounter, I figured I'd fight you myself." He said in his usual deep voice with a more interested, as opposed to cold, tone. He took a small readied stance with his left hand up by his sword.

It was a basic drawing stance for his sword fighting style that allowed for defense while standing as well as being able to charge into a lighting draw. The hunter's eyes scanned over his opponent, figuring he'd have much the same armaments as before. "Ready when you are."

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden nodded understanding what the opponent meant. Raiden was about to say ready himself, but decided to switch up something before he does. Raiden over the few battles he's had, decided his katana got in the way. It was currently latched on the side of his waist, but got in the way when Raiden moved around. This time Raiden would switch it up. Raiden took it off and instead put it on his back tying the string around shoulder. That's better... he said to himself.

"Ready..." Raiden said.

[Tristan Knightrhode]

[Alright...the guys fast....I'll have to save my chakra for later.] He thought to himself, reminicing on what he'd witnessed in their first meeting. Tristan shot forward and made a full speed drawing slash that aimed for the right shoulder of the demon, then would go through to come out the left hip.

It was a simple diagonal slash, but what the opponent wouldn't, and couldn't know, was that the attack was a fake. It was meant to be dodged, either to the side ot straight back, if it was straight back, the little surprise would shoot directly at him and hit him dead on. If it was to the side, the 'surprise' would go out, come around, and nail the demon later. That 'surprise' was none other than two Kamataichi wind blades that moved a good bit faster than Tristan could, no matter how fast he was going.

The thing about that surprise, is that the blades were almost completly invisible, aside from a small distortion that looked to be that of what you saw ontop of your car on a hot summers day, or over the flames of your grill. Only these distortions were due to air pressure, not heat.

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden as soon as he said he was ready the opponent had already made his move. Raiden just stood there and didn't take up any kind of stance. Just stood straight up... It would be evident to anyone that Raiden doesn't have any style, but Raiden doesn't care.

The guy soon came at Raiden with his blade. Raiden wouldn't have that so as soon as the guy tried to strike Raiden parried the slash with his gauntlet. Just like Tristian had intended, Raiden fell for the trap. As soon as the blade contacted with Raiden's gauntlet, Raiden suddenly could hear a small distortion in the sound waves as something fast was coming up on Raiden.

Raiden not knowing what to do at the current moment thought fast and did a Substitution spell. switching places with something close. The problem was that nothing sizable enough was in range...well...except maybe for his opponent. Raiden decided to switch places with him. Raiden instantly would switch places with Tristian placing him in front of the danger. Raiden hoped this worked because frankly Raiden didn't know what the danger looked like.

[Tristan Knightrhode]

Tristan was suddenly in a new position. Then, WHAM! one of his blades hit him in the chest with enough force to jar him, even through the barrier around his vest. That first blade dissipated, and the second blade, at Tristan's last second command, soared over his shoulder and zoomed around in a wide arc.

As the blade came around, Tristan shot back at his opponent, being mindful of that odd teleportation. A quick horizontal slash went from left to right, coming a centimeter before the demon's stomach. A fake. Tristan whirled around and kicked back with his right foot into his opponents lower stomach, aiming to knock the wind out of him as the remaining kamataichi came to bear.

The blade would come in low and fast from the demons right and slam into his side. Before it went in too deep, the hunters mana would command his fire element and ignite the blade, making it explode with not a terrible ammount of force, but enough to scorch the demons side, and send him flying into a nearby tree.

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden currently was satisfied that his plan had work. Even though Raiden couldn't see the flying blades, he could tell the threat landed a hit on Tristan considering the fact he stumbled. Raiden...was pleased...but it was way to early to relax. Just by looks, his opponent seemed like and exceptional fighter.

As soon as Tristan faked Raiden with the horizontal slash, a kick from Tristan soon followed getting Raiden in the gut with a back kick. It was minimized by the back Raiden had through up his hands in the way of the kick as it just landed. Tristian's back kick had him facing in the opposite direction of Raiden now.

Raiden held on to Tristan's foot though. Raiden made an immediate right turn hoping to yank Tristian foot along hyper extending it as he would take him to the ground. A little unknown by Raiden was by the time he would do that the blade would sail over Raiden's head by inches.

[Tristan Knightrhode]

Tristan felt the yank, but was flexible enough to stay in contact with the ground. His back ground in Ninjutsu gave him a degree of flexibility, to the point where his non-kicking leg leaned into the hunters stomach and chest. He wasn't exactly on balance, hell he was far from it, but he was still connected with the ground in such a way as to be able to manipulate his positioning.

The tug did do some damage to his knee, but nothing that couldn't be flexed out once Tristan's initial plan took hold. Whether the blade hit the demon or not, the explosion went off, just now it would be in his face, and possibly blind him by the soot and scorched air that would fly into his eyes and face.

Undoubtadly, that would cause him to let go of Tristan's foot, where then, the Crusnik would kick forward with his leg that was still grounded and perform a diving roll. After he did that, he'd simply stand, grab hold of that leg, and fold is back, balancing on one foot for a second, and popping the knee joint, fixing the bit of damage done by the yank. It would still ache for a while, but it wouldn't be a hinderance.

If need be, and this in a scenario where the demon managed to hold on, Tristan would spin around after kicking off from the ground, and wrench his foot free, though torqueing his ankle. He would then roll away as intended, and pop the knee joint as intended.

[Raiden Matsutani]

It went just how Raiden had seen it. He had started to yank on Tristan's leg violently. Just by touch Raiden could feel that he mved something out of place. As he did that though something had indeed flew over his head. At the moment a vision came to Raiden. His second sight had kicked in.

In the vision Raiden was doing the same exact thing, until suddenly and explosion occurred. Raiden ended up wiht not very much damage, but his sight would be impaired for quite some time.

As soon as that vision came in Raiden suddenly pulled away from Tristan with haste. Without a second though he tapped into his Hype-speed ability and instantly jumped back in the heat of the moment. Just as he did an explosion had occur. Even though Raiden wasn't in the heat of the explosion the shockwave was good enough the send him back a few more feet. Raiden flew through the air and then suddenly landed on his feet or...all fours atleast. Raiden looked up to see what happened to Tristan. To see whether or not the guy was hurt by the explosion.

[Tristan Knightrhode]

Tristan rolled away and popped his leg as intended. None the worse for wear was he, though the back of his boot was fairly scorched. [Gotta get those in dragonhide too...] The hunter then whipped out his .30-06 rifle, and aimed it to where he thought the demon to be.

Judging by the sound, it was about four meters away, right in line. Three shots rang out at three touches of the trigger. This particular clip had silver rounds. Though it was doubtful a demon was weak against silver, it was something to test. They moved right in line, so that what ever they struck, they'd hit with the force of three instead of the force of one.

If the demon didn't move, the rounds would enter his abdomen (provided your standing, which would be what Tristan would think). Tristan would then run to the side, still aiming to the relative area that he'd thought his opponent to be, and strafe around the mass of smoke that was left by the explosion to see what damage he'd done.

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden jumped at the sound of three gun shots. Never before has he heard something so loud and violent. It almost matched the sound velocity of thunder. Raiden wasn't sure what happened so he tapped into Second sight again.

Getting past the smoke suddenly one shot headed towards Raiden hitting him in the stomach.

Raiden didn't get it...three shots...and one bullet? Well it didn't matter Raiden didn't have any time to think. Raiden immediately through up his gauntlet in defense. The bullet ricocheted off this qauntlet. Phew! Glad that's over! He was wrong though...two more bullets struck hitting his gauntlet in the same place. The force was strong enough the throw Raiden back a few meters. Raiden found himself at the edge of the forest behind him which surrounded the place.

Without a second though Raiden dashed into the woods. He leapt up into a tree and waited to see if Tristan would follow. Sorry for the change of environment my friend...but I work better here...

[Tristan Knightrhode]

Tristan watched the Demon boy shoot up into the trees, he aimed up and fired a single shot. Too far ahead. He led too much and it blasted into a tree next to the one Raiden went into. Two more shots, once he'd stopped moving, this time on target, one for the abdomen, one for the shoulder, just above and to the left of the heart.

Tristan then followed suit, and lept up into the trees, kicking off of the first tree he reached, and ending up thirty feet in the air. He then squeezed off another round, for the same spot as the second on-target bullet, only the opposite shoulder. He would then land on a branch in one of the trees, and keep bead on his opponent.

Tristan still needed to hit the boy, in order to determine if he was weak against silver.

[Raiden Matsutani]

[OOC: I don’t think silver affects demons. Raiden doesn’t have a weakness to them]

It seemed to work…Tristan had soon followed after Raiden. Just as Raiden had landed in the tree, a bullet hit the other tree next to the one Raiden was in. That prepped Raiden to ready him for any further attacks. Raiden was going to refrain from using anything spell for defense and just go on his speed alone. The trees for Raiden provided a better environment for Raiden to move in .. The closeness alone allowed Raiden to be in constant movement while avoiding dangerous attacks from Tristan.

Two more shot range out. Raiden moved back in a zig-zag motion bouncing of the huge tree branches. He easily dodged the bullets while backing up. Raiden wasn’t watching where he was going though and hit the back of the tree behind him. Another shout rang out in quick succession while Raiden’s back was to the tree’s base. Raiden barely got out of the way of this one in time. The bullet nicked Raiden’s right arm. It hurt but Raiden was grateful it wasn’t full contact.

Raiden was wasting enough time evading attacks. This time it was offense again. Raiden leapt down from one of the branches as soon as Tristan landed in a tree. Raiden in quick succession just as the guy landed would fire off a lightning bolt aimed to hit Tristan from below.

[Tristan Knightrhode]

OOC: I know, it was just something IC.

Tristan fired one more shot, straight down, and packed it this time with a dense bit of wind, and engulfed it in flame. It ran head on with the bolt of lightning that the demon boy shot, a couple of yards below Tristan. When it hit the bolt, the bullet caved, and exploded.

The bolt was knocked off course and struck off to the right. Three more shots went down, same as the first burst, through the new bit of smoke, which was smaller than the first. Tristan then jumped to the left, into another branch a few meters away, same height. The silver seemed to have no effect, but they still hit with the force of regular bullets, so he didn't bother changing clips, and would just expend this one. eleven spent, nine-teen left.

OOC: crappy post.