So far, Yang's travels haven't brought him much luck. All he managed to do was make himself hungrier. Sure he considered hunting wild animals - with his speed, he was more than capable. However, he hadn't passed much wildlife aside from flora, either. Then, as chance would have it, he came upon a large, anciently erected building of red with a green roof. He was wondering if he was seeing a mirage.

'A lone building in the middle of nowhere.' Yang thought. 'Something feels suspicious.'

In front of him were two men. One was a brusque fighter clad in black shorts, crossing straps over his torso, and nothing else. He was bald with a braided ponytail. On his back was a large spear. The other appeared to be a simple man clad in a traditional, lawn green Kung Fu uniform. Unlike Yang's bare-armed garment, this man's clothing had sleeves. Neither noticed Yang's silent presence behind them.

"Hey, you're gonna enter the Tournament of the Gods, too?" the brusque man asked his shorter companion. "They say that the rewards are great!"

"But you know..." the Kung Fu practitioner chimed in, still smiling, "rumors also say if you fail, you don't come out alive!"

"I am the best! I won't fail!"

Laughing, the two departed together. Yang waited until they disappeared into the building before letting their information sink in. "...Tournament of the Gods..." he repeated to himself. He wondered if he should enter. Tournaments were good means to test one's skills. On the other hand, Yang was still feeling lower than low about his own so-called fighting ability. In the back of his mind, he imagined Yun easily finishing off his foes without a scratch on him.

"I'm so perfect, it's scary." Yun would say with a tip of his hat, with girls swooning at his feet.

Yang was also reminded of Grandfather Gen's words to Makoto in the other tournament. "I believe that had you been fresher, you would have won. A fact which your opponent may have cause to regret."

The teenager closed his eyes. He hadn't forgotten the fight against Roshon, either. But now an opportunity to test his skills once more lay at his feet. 'Grandfather, brother, I'll prove to you. I'll prove to you I'm capable of fighting as well.'

He didn't realize, as he approached the building, that the one person he was really trying to prove to was himself.

He opened the doors. The room was dark but he entered anyway. The doors closed behind him. "Wha...?" he gasped as he found himself in a void of black, yet he was able to see himself and his surroundings perfectly clear. He didn't know whether to move or not, so he stayed cautious.

"Do you have what it takes to be in the Tournament of the Gods...?" an old voice asked slowly.

An old man clad in a pale yellow robe crept his way towards Yang. Yang glared back suspiciously, asking, "Who are you?" in silent language.

"Do you agree to the terms stated?" the old man continued. "Once you enter, you may not come out unless victorious. You may even lose your life. Knowing this, do you still wish to continue?"

"...Yes." Yang replied seriously.

"Very well then, proceed." stated the old man. "Perhaps you may even find yourself a worthy match for your brother. Good luck, Yang Lee."

The lights came on. Yang found himself in a semi-long corridor. In front of him was a large double door. He thought of what the old man said - about finding the skill to match his brother. How in the world did he know? Regardless, someone was coming and Yang had to stay on his guard. There was no telling what sort of dangers were in here. Approaching him was a generously built woman. She seemed harmless enough. Yang lowered his guard... somewhat.

"Please enter." she said with a hand gesture. "A representative will be here shortly to interview you."

Once he entered, the door was closed behind him. He was now in a large room with a door at the opposite end of the room. Two separate doors. A long table rested in the center of the room. Sitting around the table were various fighters of various races and styles. Some carried weapons, some didn't. Yang took his place at the table a good distance away from everyone else. The room was quiet. Neither fighter said any words to each other for everyone was shrouded in the same suspicion.

What seemed like hours passed, and still no representative came to collect them. Some fighters became impatient and wanted to show their stuff, but then realized the disadvantage. Should their fighting style be known so quickly, the other fighters around would recognize patterns or weaknesses. 'Smart...' Yang thought, maintaining his usual silence.

The silence was broken by the annoying buzz of a blue-bottle fly. At first no one made any motion to swat the fly. Perhaps this was some sort of test to prove patience. But when at least 10 minutes passed with no sounds audible but a constant buzz, some became annoyed. The louder fighters made roars as they swung weapons or bare fists at the fly - with no success. The quieter ones made sharp attacks, but the fly skillfully eluded their grasp. This particular sort of fly usually frequent gardens and have reflexes and speed faster than the average fly - faster than three times the reflexes of a human. Yang eyed the fighters lazily, and couldn't help but chuckle at their futile attempts. The fly zoomed his way. Faster than anyone could blink, Yang's hand snapped forward.

The buzzing stopped. All eyes were on Yang. Returning a passive glance, Yang's clenched fist opened, revealing the fly's dead body nested in his palm. He flicked his hand and the fly's carcass dropped to the ground. No one said anything to him but glared. Some thought he was showing off, others believed not to underestimate his skill.

Stillness returned but only for a short time. The same secretary from earlier opened the doors from the other side. "Yang Lee? Please come with me."

Yang did as he was told. He didn't like being singled out like this - draws unnecessary attention. He watched only the secretary, not the fighters who gave him dirty looks. But thankfully, the dirty looks ceased once multiple separate secretaries came from the door he first entered. Once he reached her, she closed the door and smiled wryly.

"Congratulations, Mr. Lee. You're officially accepted into the Tournament of the Gods. Please follow me.

"Many fighters depend raw force or outrageous techniques, so we put up a simple test to see if one is dexterous to kill the fly with minimal damage." she explained. "As for the rest of the fighters, no matter how good they are, or what they say, they won't be accepted. We only want the best of the best. And, of course, we need to keep our establishment somewhat intact.

"The Tournament of the Gods is simple." she continued as she took him down a seemingly endless corridor. "The object is to find your way out. However, it's not that simple. All competitors have separate doors that provide as their exit, plus separate keys. This is made possible due to the influence of magic. For example, one fighter may need to find a red key and exit through a violet door. Also, each fighter has a female accompaniment, of which we will provide. The tournament itself is simple - as you may note, this building resembles a multi-roomed mansion, or even a fancy hotel. You enter each room or encounter fighters along the way. Once you defeat your opponent in combat - doesn't necessarily mean death - their female counterpart will either transform into a key or a door. You may get lucky and find your respective key and door on your first few tries. Or maybe not. As you can tell, your life is at risk here. You may die in battle or never come leave this building forever."

They came upon a room at the end of the left corridor. The secretary slid a card key through the security panel which opened the door. "This is your room. Clothes are in the closet. Food and drinks are also provided for. Please freshen up and relax. We will provide you with the necessary information in due time."

Slipping the card key in his hand, she departed.

Yang locked the door. This appeared to be a first class hotel room with a fridge instead of a television. First and foremost, he went to the fridge to relieve his hunger. Inside was filled with all sorts of foods he loved - carrot juice, steamed cabbage and beef lo mein for now. Even a pair of chopsticks was inside. The cabbage and lo mein were still warm. 'This place is certainly magical,' he noted while eating. He was never much a practitioner of magic but at the same time he never denied its existence. Once he ate his fill, the plates vanished. Definitely magical.

Next - shower. Yang forgot when was the last time he took one. He hung his garments neatly on the hooks, then entered. The water bathed on his skin, refreshing him. Shampoos and other toiletries were there, of which Yang took full advantage. For that brief moment in time, he relaxed his guard completely.

Over the noise of the water and in his brief state of bliss, he was unable to hear the knock on the front door. However, he was able to hear the knock on the bathroom door some moments later.

"Who's there?" Yang demanded.

"I... I'm sorry, may I please come in?" stammered a timid female voice.

Yang didn't answer. Instead, he quickly finished his bath and dried himself off. Seeing that he had no fresh garments around, and he didn't want to wear the same dirty clothes again, he left the bathroom with his towel draped around his waist. Directly outside the door was a small girl dressed in a medieval European dress. She had delicate features and long black hair as billowing as her dress. She stared at Yang's torso, then back at the ground as she blushed.

"Umm... hi... Mr. Lee..." she muttered.

When she looked up, she saw that Yang had ignored her and was heading for the closet. "Ahh... umm.. if you want a change of clothes, step on the magic circle inside the closet..."

Yang opened the closet shutter. Sure enough, inside was a magic circle. He slid the door shut behind him and stepped in the center. A tingling sensation engulfed him. He closed his eyes and felt familiar fabrics emerge onto his body. When the rush was over, Yang surveyed himself. He was now clad in his sleeveless Kung Fu uniform, except for some reason, it clung onto his chest area tighter than he remembered, while the waist area was looser. He returned outside. The girl blushed even harder than before. While Yun would have extended a hand towards her, Yang's instincts caused him to be wary.

"You're the one?" Yang asked simply.

The girl nodded. "I... My name is Sofine." she stammered. "P-pleased to meet you."

Yang nodded slightly. "What information do I need to know?"

"Y-you have to find the Marine Green key and the Maize door." Sofine replied. Her attention returned to the floor. A few footsteps later, she realized Yang had left without her. "W-wait, Mr. Lee!" she cried, not neglecting to close the door behind her leave.

Luckily, Yang was walking, not running. It was only a matter of time before Sofine caught up to him. "M...Mr. Lee, p-please ... wait up..." she gasped. "I'm supposed to come with you!"

Yang halted. He glanced back at Sofine, hands on hips. She stopped by his side, puffing and panting. Yang looked at her as a nuisance. He can handle things himself. But if he was to have her follow him around, he might as well let her - keeping his distance, of course. He let her lean on his arm, then once she was to her feet, he brushed himself off.

"Mr. Lee... I know you consider me a nuisance," said Sofine, "but... I'm your designated guide as well. This is my first time but please give me a chance. Even though we just met, I can't help but... worry about you..."

Sofine was cut out of her revere once she noticed Yang was going on ahead. "Ah... Mr. Lee...! Wait for me!"

Some steps down the hallway, a door exploded open. Yang braced himself, shielding his face with one arm, while Sofine clung onto his shirt. The debris had no time to clear as a man and his female accompaniment - a woman in her 20's - burst out of the room. The man landed on his face with the woman on his back. But he rose straight after with a grin on his face and a key in his hand. This man appeared to be in his early 30's, clad in similar attire to Indiana Jones.

"Ha ha, finally, I got it - the Amethyst key." he chuckled in a Texan accent. "After being shot in this hell hole for 2 weeks, I've finally got one treasure to get outta here."

"At least you have me to keep you company, honey." his woman winked, blowing him a kiss.

"Yep. True, true, Chalice." The man stood and dusted the dirt off his pants. It was then he noticed Yang and Sofine. His happy expression changed to a bitter one. "Another opponent, huh? I guess I got no choice."

Yang said nothing in response. Instead, he held out an arm, indicating for Sofine to back away. She did so in the safety of an empty room. Chalice did not run away. Instead, she gave him the necessary space the fighters needed while still being close for moral support. Then, Yang went into his fighting stance. The man grinned once more, brandishing a whip.

"They call me Rock Heart." he stated. "I'm a travelling treasure hunter in search of wine, women and song. I happened to come upon this quaint building for treasure. I admit I hate bein' holed up in one place for long, but being with Chalice has been the greatest thing that's ever happened t'me. Travellin' 'round the world, I got t'know many fightin' styles. Mine's a combination of many. I wager by that stance yours is Mantis Style Kung Fu. An' your name'd be?"

'There's no need for names in a fight. Only style and predictability.' Yang thought coldly. But he might as well answer the question. "...Yang."

"Yang, huh? Pleased t'meet ya, Yang." Rock Heart twirled the end of his whip. "It's a shame a fine young upstart like yourself got caught up in this whacked-out tournament. You coulda had a fine future."

"Don't speak to me of what you regretted with your life." Yang snapped. "If you want a fight, I won't hold back."

The Chinese boy could have lectured on. This man obviously wanted to make something big of his life, yet he spoke as if he lost everything already. The only way to run away from regret was to try changing your life. Anyone can change their lives if they wanted to. Yet, most people remain content - would 'content' be the appropriate word? - in their moody little ditches. Yang, too. He had his moments of sulking. But now Yang realized he wanted to make something out of his problems. He was not going to be second best anymore. He will surpass his brother. And to himself, he'll prove his worth.

Yang made the first strike. He dashed forward at blinding speed. Believing Yang was being predictable, Rock made a simple, but lashing swipe of his whip. But it was Rock who was being predictable. Yang ducked under the attack, stepped forward using the momentum from his hips and pivoted, slamming his elbow into Rock's solarplexus. Instead, he reached Rock's ribs. Effective enough for Rock to push back, but not the pressure point he was looking for. Rock retaliated with a knee strike chained into a front kick, then followed up with a swing of his whip. Yang ate the force of the kicks and held up his left hand to let the whip wrap around his wrist. They pulled - but Rock was stronger by far. When it appeared Yang was sailing into Rock's open arms, the Chinese boy had the chance to smirk, then unraveled the whip. He landed on one hand, which he used to spring into a Senkyuutai [leaping kick]. Rock parried and shoved Yang away.

"Sneaky little kid, ain't ya?" Rock wiped his sweating brow.

Yang took in some breaths. This man was fast, but as the same time Yang was being predictable. The Chinese boy also noticed that his own moving speed was much faster than it used to be. He could use that to his advantage.

Rock returned the favor of first strike. He held the whip at the center, using both ends to attack. First with one end, then spun around and lashed out with the full length. Yang also returned the favor of retaliation. He parried the first hit - though it stung, and ducked under the second. He swung with a low jabbing sweep to Rock's knees, then chained into a Senkyuutai. While Rock was down, he backflipped several times to gain spacing. Rock stood, looking as fine as ever.

"You're quick, kid, but where's your strength?" the treasure hunter taunted. "Your muscles ain't just for show - use them!"

'I don't need brute force. I have skill.' Yang thought. His eyes spoke his thoughts. Rock knew his younger foe was being cocky as well.

"We both know that the only way to make ends meet is to come up to each other." Rock continued, twirling his whip. "I ain't gonna do that. You gotta come to me."

Yang nodded. "Very well."

For a brief second, Rock appeared stunned. "Wha...?"

'The distance between us is great. He'll expect a full frontal attack so I'll have to be prepared.' Yang summarized. 'The hallway is fairly narrow. I can use that to my advantage, if only I can reach that same quick burst of speed.'

Yang blitzed off in an incredible burst of speed. He moved so quickly, Rock couldn't see him with his naked eyes. He was unable to see those concealed tracks. Yang ricocheted off the walls, even over the ceiling, then became visible for a brief second just outside Rock's sweep range. That was on purpose - to fake Rock. Rock took the bait, overestimating his range and lashing his whip in a circular twisting motion - "CORAL TWISTER!". Unfortunately for the treasure hunter, the hard blow left him quite vulnerable. Yang sprinted into point blank.

"RAISHIN MAHHAKEN!"

Yang's spearhand thrust into Rock's throat.

*TWHAP* *TWHAP* *TWHAP* *THWAP* *THWAP* *THWAP*

Rock blew back from the force of the blows, then coughed and fell over. He couldn't stand - he was utterly defeated. Chalice scrambled to Rock and gripped his hand. He looked up, forcing a smile. She returned the gesture, then faded away, to Rock's horror, until she disappeared completely. The treasure hunter's jaw went slack, his eyes wide open. In her place now stood a Mahogany door. Rock became limp. He fell to his knees and screamed with anguish.

"Chalice... damn, I'm so sorry, Chalice... I wasn't good enough to protect you and now you're gone... You... you were the only women I had ever loved. Will you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Yang stood over the wretched soul, hands on his hips. He couldn't help but pity him, but he didn't feel sorry for him. It was this man's fault he left his heart open for love when Chalice's disappearance was inevitable. Sofine exited her shelter and came upon Rock. She held her hands close to her chest, feeling sorry for him. But once again, she had to hurry. Yang was walking off again.

"Thank you for the tea." Sofine smiled after a sip.

Yang grunted his response. He didn't especially want to stop, but Sofine wanted to go to the café for some tea. The tab was on her, so Yang reluctantly obliged. Not too many people were around, thankfully. This area was deemed non-violence and was an outside room separated by a shallow fence. Yang noticed that many people around were giving each other death threats and challenges. Yang and Sofine sat at a secluded table - typical of Yang to want to sit away from people that were not his brother. Sofine he could stand somewhat, he noted with a curious look. It was strange, the only person he could stand on a regular basis was his brother.

"You're such a talented fighter." Sofine continued. "I bet you're the best of the best where you come from."

Her answer was a stone-cold stare. She had reached a touchy subject. She looked down, pressing her hands in her lap. It was not her place to question. "...Sorry." While she felt at ease with him, she couldn't believe how quiet he was. So many things she wanted to talk about, but she will probably hit the same grunt at best.

"She... disappeared." Yang spoke finally. Sofine knew he was referring to Chalice.

"The girls are spirit embodiments." Sofine replied.

'The losing terms don't appear to be punishing.' Yang commented to himself. He could be wrong. "Is one disqualified after their respective female disappears?"

"No, the fighters can still keep going. It may take a bit more work for the one who needs that respective key or door. The only way to lose out is to lose your own life." the girl said. "The respective females are designed to take on the shape and form of the fighter's desired ones. As you can see, nearly all those who compete are male, though there are some females. When the females die, it can be heartbreaking for fighters of both sexes - to lose a loved one or a friend. I've heard stories of those fighters who committed suicide straight after."

"I see." The silence returned once Yang spoke those final words. He was lost in his own thoughts, completely ignoring the fights around him, including the interesting battle where one fighter manipulated water from surrounding broken pipes. He was busy thinking of his previous fight, namely that sudden burst of speed he used to defeat Rock Heart. Now if only he could harness that speed somehow...

Sofine looked at her lap, at her gloved hands. She might as well ask while the topic is still open. Summoning her courage, she spoke, "Umm... will you cry if I..."

Her revere was cut off by a tap on the shoulder. A girl with short black hair handed Sofine a folded note, waved, and trotted away. Yang looked up for the briefest moments to watch Sofine read the letter. Once done, she placed it in her lap. "Mr. Lee, the man sitting to your right wants to challenge you right away. His name is Tony Umeda."

Yang glanced to the right. Sitting not too far away was a black man with a large afro and clad in a blue disco garb. Strapped around his waist was a katana. A strange sort of fellow to be a samurai, he was. He didn't appear to be the kind of person to take seriously - he was grinning, feet cocked on the table, surrounded by hordes of women, and drinking to his heart's content. But Yang's tempered fighting instincts dictated never to take anyone lightly. Not even this guy. The man, Tony, waved for Yang to come over. The Chinese boy ignored the gesture, so Tony and his harem went over to him.

"Yo, man, how's it hangin'?" Tony belted cheerfully. "Me 'n' my posse have taken a likin' to ya so I thought you'd want a little friendly duel. How's about it, man? Winner takes all, as dictated by the rules."

Now it was Tony's turn to be answered by a stone-cold stare. But unlike Sofine, eventually Yang answered. "...Very well."

"I knew you'd be a good fella. Let's get this show on the road!" With his thumb, Tony pointed to a clear area just outside the fenced café. "We'd be battlin' over there. Challenger picks the rules after all." Then he walked - more like danced away. Yang swore he heard Disco music play wherever Tony went.

Sofine placed money on the table. She couldn't look at Yang. He had probably left without her again. She felt sad, she really, honestly did like him from the bottom of her heart. It hurt her that he never paid too much attention to her. But somehow, she knew his feelings. For some reason, she knew he felt bad about his fighting ability. And somehow, she knew he had a brother. For a moment, she sat. 'How do I know these things? It's strange...'

"Are you coming?"

The dark-haired girl snapped out of daydream land. To her surprise, Yang was standing over her, waiting for her. How she smiled! "I-I'm coming, Mr. Lee!"

With Sofine at his heels, Yang arrived at the meeting point. Tony struck a pose for his harem, to their wild applause. Upon seeing Yang, he stood straight but continued grinning.

"Well then. Let's get this show on the road." Tony declared, clutching his katana's handle. "Since I'm such a generous guy, I'll let you have the advantage of first strike."

Yang had to suppress a cross between a laugh and a condescending shake of his head. 'There's nothing advantageous of a first strike. It's very risky to attack without the assurance you won't be counterattacked. He has a katana... if I should have first strike, then it'll be swift and away from an initial strike range. If I fake him out now, he'll realize...'

"Yo, man, are you gonna attack or what?" Tony tapped his foot impatiently.

'A fake-out will suffice.' Yang declared. He summoned forth a burst of speed, halting just before what he estimated to be swipe range. Unfortunately, he underestimated the length of Tony's katana and was barely able to dodge the swipe. The cut fabric across his chest reminded Yang he must be more careful. He ducked down, jabbed Tony with his foot, then crossed over with a foot strike to Tony's shins, but just before he could cross up with a Senkyuutai, Tony pointed his sword downwards and stabbed. Yang rolled out of the way again, but once again the distance was too close.

Yang walked backwards. He couldn't afford a backflip in case Tony decided to run up and slash him. Tony did the same, running back, then to the side. It appeared he was running circles around Yang. Yang copied the footing, attempting to keep a safe distance. Tony decided to make the first move. He stepped in and feinted, then spun around and struck with a sword-length backhand, reaching the tip of Yang's nose. Yang arched his back in reverse, then backflipped. Tony stepped forward, using his momentum to slash, and managed to cut Yang's pants leg.

'He's fast,' both Tony and Yang thought simultaneously. Tony dashed forward with a quick thrust. Yang crouched, ready for a Kobukushi. But Tony was out of Kobukushi range, he had to push farther. He did, stretching his arms all the way outwards, and shoved Tony back. Quickly, Yang followed up with a Tenshin Senkyuutai. At rapid speed he somersaulted, then preformed a powerful Senkyuutai, kicking Tony 3 times at the highest point. Yang landed before Tony did and jumped back, knowing a counterstrike would be at hand. Sure enough, Tony landed on his feet and leapt at Yang with a jumping swipe. Yang caught the blade between his fingers, then let go once he knew the direction would safely miss him. It was then the Chinese fighter had an idea.

Tony wiped some sweat from his brow. "I never had a fight like this in a long time. But sorry, man, I'm the one who's gonna finish."

Yang responded by smirking. This irked Tony somewhat, but he still continued to grin. "Here I come!" he cried.

The two fighters dashed at each other - Tony with his katana raised high, Yang crouching down with his speed 3 paces short of his attainable god-speed. Tony went for the swipe, then was surprised as his blow was parried by Yang's Mantis Slash. He tilted the sword the other way and went for another strike, but Yang parried again with another Mantis Slash. Yang had purposely slowed down the first two strikes for parrying purposes, and struck with the final blow - an elbow to Tony's center of ribs. The afro-toting samurai coughed blood and fell to the ground on his back. His respective women merged into one being, sobbed, then vanished into a Lemon Yellow door. Yang stood over Tony, glaring for awhile. Then he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute..." Tony gasped.

Yang paused.

Although Tony was almost out for the count, he was still smiling. "Let me tell you somethin' kid. I let my greed come to me. At first I came down here to have a rockin' good time. But after awhile, I got hooked on all the beautiful women down here. Luckily Sasha - my guide gal - was able to clone herself into all the beautiful women of my enemies. I got so hooked on women, I forgot my focus. Don't let yourself get caught up with that, kid. Find your way out. This place is nothin' but hell." He closed his eyes and went to rest.

Yang didn't even bother to shrug. He went straight over to a sparkly-eyed Sofine. "Congratulations, Mr. Lee! You did a great job! You're absolutely wonderful!" she babbled.

'Her aura feels familiar. Positive and pure.' Yang noted. 'That opponent was fast, but my brother is faster. If I'm to defeat my brother, I must increase my speed.'

Yang walked off. This time, he waited for Sofine.

Once they were gone, Tony jumped to his feet. He wasn't dead at all. He shrugged his shoulders and rested his sheathed katana on his shoulder. "Now to pursue my true calling. Dance, dance, dance...!"

Yang and Sofine came to what appeared to be an outer hall - a hotel lobby if you will. A magnificent chandelier hung over the room. As well, the floor was tiled with marble, covered in various areas by Persian rugs. Famous paintings hung on the walls. While no one attended the reception desk, fights still crawled in various areas. Yang didn't know what was more annoying - the noise from the fights, or Sofine's constant babble. Now that she was more comfortable with being around Yang, she opened up considerably.

"That move you did to push Tony away was so cool!" Sofine giggled. Yang knew she was referring to the Kobukushi, or rather the Kobukushi variant. "The strike reminded me of a white tiger bearing its claws and pouncing on the enemy. Does that move have a name or is it just a normal strike?"

The Kung Fu fighter shrugged. It was the Kobukushi, but at the same time not. He pushed his arms farther than necessary.

"I think you should call it the Byakko Soushouda." Sofine continued. "It means 'White Tiger Paired Palm-Strike'."

Yang half-smiled. Cute name. He rather liked it. Byakko Soushouda... much more efficient than the Kobukushi, especially in terms of range. Yang noted that if he was going to one-up his brother, he couldn't rely on the same tricks. That included techniques that both brothers were familiar with. Yang already ditched the Zesho Hohou [lunging punch] for the multi-strike Torou Zan [Mantis Slash]. He was going to keep the rolling Senkyuutai and that was that.

"Ah, Mr. Lee, do you think we can take a rest?" asked Sofine. "I'm getting a bit tired."

'...I suppose a rest is necessary. I should rest up before another fight occurs.' Yang thought. Aloud, he said a simple, "Sure."

The two sat on a varnished oak bench. Sofine collapsed, then slid on Yang's shoulder. This time, Yang let her without feeling uncomfortable himself. He was starting to rapidly grow fond of her for strange reasons of familiarity he couldn't place a finger on.

"Mr. Lee, do you have any siblings? Like... a brother?"

Yang said nothing.

"Is he your twin brother?"

"...I'm nothing like him." Yang sulked. He was a bit surprised that Sofine was not confused by his cryptic response. He figured that these mirage girls were supposed to know everything about them, thus Sofine knew everything about Yang. Including the inferiority complex. He looked to the side, absentmindedly at a brawl going on downstairs. 'I couldn't reach that burst of speed in sufficient time. I have to keep trying. I have to...'

It appeared there was nothing much else to do for now. With exhaustion setting in, Sofine leaned over and went to sleep. Petting her hair affectionately, Yang knew that staying in one place would not be a good idea. He cradled her in his arms and headed towards his room.

"Arise."

Sofine opened her eyes. She found herself floating in a void of black. Her long hair and dress blew like waves in the ocean. She clutched her hands towards her chest in fear. She was confused - where was she? A dream, it had to be. But why was she alone, where did everyone go? 'Where am I? Where is Mr. Lee? I'm scared... please protect me, Mr. Lee!'

"Do not be alarmed, Sofine." An old man in a yellow cloak - the same man that greeted Yang and every other fighter - faded into view before Sofine. "'Tis I, The Overseer. Do you know who you are, Sofine?"

Sofine nodded sadly. "Yes... I'm Sofine... a mirage meant to lure Mr. Lee into my charms, then kill his heart once I become a key. That's what all us mirage girls are meant for, correct?"

"No, Sofine. You were created for a very special reason." spoke The Overseer. "Deep within your mind and heart is the reason. I have purposely sealed your memories so you do not tell Yang Lee of your true intent. Now that you and he are close in heart, I believe it is time for you to awaken your memories."

"Why... why are you doing this?" Sofine asked.

"Because, I do not wish for you to kill yourself from the suspense."

"C'mon, Gourry. If you want to find your stupid True Blue doorway then you're gonna have to challenge this guy sooner or later." snapped a testy female voice.

Yang glared at the duo who stood before him. One was a swordsman with long, blond hair - apparently named Gourry - clad in blue armor. He had a rather clueless look on his face, indicating he was not very smart. His female companion was a red-head, short in stature, also clad in light armor with a long black cape. She didn't appear to be too friendly. At first glance, one may think that she was stronger than the blond swordsman. Of all places he had to face a challenge, it had to be right in front of his room.

"Yeah, but Lina, I don't think it's very smart to challenge a guy who's carrying a sleeping girl." Gourry commented.

The girl, Lina, whapped Gourry on the shoulder. "Come off it, Gourry. Since when do you consider anything requiring your non-existent brain? The whole reason you got in here in the first place was because you stupidly stumbled through the front door." She gestured to Yang with her gloved hand. "Now's the perfect time to get him when he's unarmed and helpless."

Yang sighed. He might as well get this over with. Resting Sofine gently to the ground at a safe distance, he then returned to face Gourry. He kept a brave face, even though he realized Gourry was a head taller than he. Gourry smiled and held out a hand - a sporting gesture. "Nice to meet ya. I'm Gourry Gabriev, a travelling swordsman." Seeing that Yang had no intention to shake his hand, Gourry used it to gesture to Lina. "This is my partner. Her name is Lina Inverse."

"Yeah, yeah." Lina sighed, "Enough with the introductions. Just get this show on the road already!"

Gourry scratched his head. "All right, all right." He drew his sword at ready. He scanned the blade from the handle upwards, and when he passed the tip, he saw that Yang was in his fighting stance. Or rather, an armed fighting stance. At once, Gourry returned the sword to his hilt. "Now I really don't wanna fight this guy, Lina. He's unarmed! I'll feel really bad if I cut him up and..."

The blond swordsman had no time to finish his sentence. Yang vaulted into the air at blinding speed, jumped kicked Gourry in the face, and chained with a Raigeki Shuu [swan dive kick] to right under the swordsman's breastplate. Yang crouched down with a series of jabbing footsweeps and ended his furious combo with a triple-hit Mantis Slash. Gourry fell to the ground. After much screaming from Lina, he struggled to his feet, wiping some blood that trickled from his nose.

"Now you've really made me angry."

Yang flipped his hair. "Hmph. Is that so?"

On the bench, Sofine groggily opened her eyes. Her blurred vision fixed itself into an image of Yang fighting a blond-haired swordsman. Immediately, she scrambled to the other side of the bench. Her worried hands clenched into determined fists. "Don't give up, little bro'! Kick his ass! .....?"

"Eh?!"

Both Yang and Sofine were stunned by her sudden change of dialect. That was enough time Gourry needed to snap off his sword blade and summon forth an even more powerful end. With a cry of, "Light come forth!", a beam of light shot forward to replace the metallic blade.

Yang's attention returned to Gourry. He realized that he couldn't pull off that Mantis Slash parry trick anymore. If he touched anywhere on that sword, it could spell doom. Gourry knew that too. Smirking confidently, Gourry lunged forward, hacking and slashing as fast as he could. His slashes were much faster than Tony's but his overall moving speed was slower. When a swipe grazed Yang's hair, the Kung Fu fighter knew it was time to get serious.

'Why did I say such a thing? Now Mr. Lee will think I'm crazy or something. This is so strange... all these thoughts and feelings are coming to my head like waves. Yet, I'm slowly starting to recall...'

Gripping Gourry's shoulder pads, Yang flipped himself to Gourry's back using the Zenpou Tenshin technique.

'I remember how much we had to train to get that technique right. Wait, we...? I was created in this tournament. I only met Mr. Lee now...'

Yang quickly spread out his chi for the Gen'ei Jin technique. He had six seconds before the phantoms disappeared. He rolled forward with a Senkyuutai, the phantoms greatly increased the number of hits and knocked Gourry upwards. For the duration of the time he had left, Yang juggled away with single-hit Mantis Slashes, ducking jabs, and other fancy tricks. When time was over, Gourry fell. To add insult to the injury, Yang swiped his hair and whapped Gourry in the face before he fell. Yang backflipped away for safety, then went into a reverse Crane stance.

"How many of them were there? Did you count them? Too late... the Phantom Mark Waltz - Sei'ei Enbu - never misses its mark."

Sofine giggled. 'Sei'ei Enbu, cute name. I recall being told that Mr. Lee and his brother had an argument over what the technique should be named - Gen'ei Jin or Sei'ei Enbu. Mr. Lee's brother won in the end, but it looks like Mr. Lee got what he wanted. It's strange, even though I never met Mr. Lee's brother, it feels like I've known him forever.'

"C'mon, ya big galute! STAND UP!" Lina cried.

Gourry struggled to stand. He grinned. "You hit good, but you ain't that hard to beat me. Let's do it, Lina!"

"Right!" Lina closed her eyes, concentrating on summoning magical fiery energy in front of her hands. Once ready, she hurled the attack - "FIREBALL!" - onto Gourry's sword. The light blade grew longer, engulfed in flames. Gourry held his sword at ready. Even at its great length, he was still able to wield the weapon easily.

"This light sword is able to be a focal point for magical energy." said Gourry, probably repeating something Lina had said before. "I don't use magic, but thanks to Lina I can defeat you!"

'My mission... the reason I was created...it's coming back to me along with these memories...'

He raised his sword in the air and sent it crashing down. A wave of energy ripped a hole in the center of the floor. Then, the entire hallway burst into flames. The water sprinklers came on, splashing water on the flames and the fighters. The light sword was doused in the process. Gourry smiled triumphantly, only to see that Yang had disappeared. The only trace of him were the sounds of rapid footsteps from the ceiling coming his way. It was too late, Gourry couldn't react in time. Yang came crashing down with an elbow to the center of Gourry's head. Although no one realized, Yang had hit a rare pressure point. Gourry fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Tsk..." Lina already began to fade. She shook her head, smiling tenderly at the fallen Gourry. Though she'll never admit it in her artificial life, she liked him. "You big brute."

She then disappeared, then reappeared as a Maize door.

'A Maize door.' Yang thought. 'One of the things I need to get out of here.' But for now, he had to worry about Sofine. He opened the door and gestured for her to follow. She waved to him with a gesture which meant, "I'll catch up to you in a second." Understanding, he entered the room.

'My mission... Who I am... I remember now.'

Sofine shut the door. Yang was standing by the door, awaiting her arrival. Was his aura relaxed just a little? It won't be for long, Sofine knew he wouldn't like the news she was about to tell him. "Mr. Lee, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Hm...?"

"I told you that the women here are meant to be female representations of the respective competitor's lifelong companions. Along the way, I was told that I was different. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Sofine looked to the floor. "But one thing is for sure that I do know... I'm a representation of your brother's anima."

Yang's eyes went wide for a fraction of a second. "My brother's...?"

"Every living being has an anima - feminine energy, or a feminine side you may say; and an animus - a masculine side. In some people, their anima may be more prominent than their animus, or vice versa. Even though some people may deny having energy which opposes their gender, there's no exception to the rule. Even your brother."

"...so?"

Sofine couldn't take her eyes off the floor. The pain of guilt flooded her. "The Overseer was ordered by a lady named Succubus for you never to leave the Tournament of the Gods. Thus, I was created to enter your heart and seal you here forever. As an insurance, the reason you'll never find the Marine Green key is because it is inside me. I am that key.

"I can tell you love your brother. But you get bogged down by believing he is strong and you're not. Please..." She threw her arms around Yang. "You don't have to be strong. Please say here with me forever. Let's be happy together, forever."

Yang pushed her away. Now he understood what was going on, why he felt so close to Sofine. But he knew the difference between dreams and reality. "I... can't..."

All at once, Sofine's programming returned. Her love for Yang was replaced by the orders she was told to accomplish. She pushed hard on his chest. "Don't leave, Mr. Lee. Even if you do leave, you can never defeat your brother. I admit you're a good fighter, but I am your brother, and I know you're not ready to defeat him!"

Yang became ominously quiet. His bangs seemed to cover his eyes. "Is that so..."

Suddenly, a searing pain slashed through Sofine's chest. Her eyes went wide, flinching. Slowly, she looked down to see Yang's spearhand thrust directly through her chest, through her heart, through her body. Tears trickled down her face. "Mr. Lee..." she whispered before she vanished. A Marine Green key appeared where she last stood. Yang twisted his palm upwards and caught the key. He clenched it in a shaking fist.

"...I'm ready."

The Marine Green key fit perfectly in the Maize door's lock. Yang entered, closing the door behind him. He found himself literally standing on a cloud. Looking down he saw a beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds, and in front of him, perched on a cloud, was a white doorway. Then, emerging from underneath a cloud, was The Overseer. Yang immediately held his guard, but seeing as The Overseer had no intentions of fighting, he lowered his arms halfway.

"Congratulations," The Overseer spoke, "you have successfully won the Tournament of the Gods. Not many people can or wish to leave the tournament. What are your reasons for leaving?"

".....to defeat my brother."

The Overseer nodded. He knew exactly what Yang wished for, but wanted to hear the words from Yang's mouth. He also realized that Sofine failed. He couldn't serve Succubus' terms any longer. This was his tournament and he will play by his rules. "When you win a tournament, the prize is not always materialistic. One learns that there is more to winning and losing. You were able to harness your quickness into a new technique - a burst of speed in which your tracks are concealed. As a reward, will you name this technique?"

Yang paused for a few moments. It always felt good to develop a new technique and name it. But he shouldn't be too cocky, this may be his greatest weapon against Yun. "Kaihou." he said finally.

"Very well. May I wish you success in the future."

The Overseer raised his left hand. A sudden burst of light spread forward with a boom. Yang shielded his eyes.

When the vision was well enough to look again, he found himself outside the tournament building. As well, he was clad in the same clothes he was wearing earlier - a red t-shirt with a grey hood and white jeans. A large man - bald except for a long braid, and a Kung Fu fighter stood before him. Yang recognized these men as the ones he saw just before he entered the tournament himself. He also found that he was standing a farther distance away.

"Hey, you're gonna enter the Tournament of the Gods, too?" the brusque man asked his shorter companion. "They say that the rewards are great!"

"But you know..." the Kung Fu practitioner chimed in, still smiling, "rumors also say if you fail, you don't come out alive!"

"I am the best! I won't fail!"

Yang nodded to himself. Time to test out his new Kaihou. He crouched down and dashed forward, crossing his arms in front of his chest for a double knifehand strike...

The men never knew what hit them.

A second after Yang became visible again, the blades of grass blew by. The two men saw the teenage fighter standing before them a brief moment before they passed out, unconscious, on the ground. Yang lowered his arms and stood straight. He looked down at a clenched fist. Now he knew he was ready to defeat his brother - no, defeat Yun.