14 Practice Bout

While Burns was sorting out his enhancements, Donovan and Hayashi were taking care of business of their own. More specifically, after not getting to fight a satisfying battle, Donovan urged Hayashi to have a friendly duel with him. Hayashi, eager to get a better grasp on his new power, agreed.

The two used the now open and relatively flat area where Dallas once stood for the location of their duel. A few Jacks and off-duty military personnel, hearing the two would fight each other, came to watch.

Donovan smiled towards Hayashi and said "Thanks for indulging me. When I win, I won't be too excessive."

Hayashi didn't bother to respond beyond saying "I'm ready."

Donovan didn't waste his breath on more words. Without shifting his body an inch, the Steam Jack launched his first attack. Three blades of steam manifested from three separate angles not even a foot away from Hayashi. The blades launched towards him, almost instantly hitting the Cruel Jack. In response, Hayashi vanished in a puff of green flame. The three steam blades failed to connect and dissipated.

In the past Hayashi could only teleport with the aid of an item that specifically allowed him to when he infused it with power. Knowing this, Donovan wondered if that'd changed. Hayashi agreed to this bout only because he wanted to see what he was now capable of after all.

The Steam Jack kept his eyes open and took in his surroundings. He created a mist of steam which surrounded him, cloaking his presence even as he used it to enhance his own perception of the area. Still, he found nothing. Hayashi seemed to have ceased to exist.

The attack was sudden. A tongue of green flame roared down towards the Steam Jack from above but even as sudden as it was, the Steam Jack reacted almost instantaneously. A powerful gust of steam blew the green flames away, even as spears of twisting steam launched towards the location the green flames had originated from. The Steam Jack's counterattack hit nothing yet again.

When Hayashi appeared again, Donovan was ready. He had increased the density of the steam mist into a cloud and now as the Cruel Jack resurfaced he drew all his steam. The entire cloud condensed into a cage of steam as if it had been an open palm that was rapidly closed into an iron fist. Hayashi was hit by the massive force of the steam but he was visibly unaffected.

Simply by flexing his muscles, the Japanese man burst out of Donovan's restriction and sprinted towards him. The Cruel Jack mimicked the Steam Jack's own movement technique, using explosive bursts of green flame to rocket towards him. With a grin, Donovan responded in kind.

The two prepared attacks as they neared each other. Hayashi once again ripped off the Steam Jack, using bursts of flame to propel his left fist in a superhuman jab. Donovan counterattacked with a jab of his own but the speed difference was readily apparent to both Jacks. Hayashi's magic was originally an Internal Magic that allowed him to consume and store souls as a means of enhancing his body. Donovan, in comparison, had a muscular but rather normal body.

Hayashi's fist connected, first touching, next piercing through Donovan's head. Those watching hissed in shock, thinking the legendary Steam Jack had been killed. Then the half of the Jack's head that had been penetrated transformed into steam. At the same time, Donovan's counter landed, colliding with Hayashi's nose.

The Cruel Jack's nose was bloodied but it was Donovan's blood on his face. His body's defense was even greater than the Steam Jack had expected. Donovan wisely backed off, choosing not to trade blows at close range. Even if he dodged every attack Hayashi launched, attacking with his own body wasn't going to harm anyone but himself.

Hayashi allowed Donovan to back off. He was more interested in testing what he could do. So far he'd realized that he could vanish by focusing on entering his Hell, where he now stored souls. He could also control the green Hellfire he used to turn those souls into energy. He'd already replicated some of Donovan's techniques. Now the real question was, could he win with these abilities or did he need more?

While Hayashi considered what he needed to win, Donovan began his next attack. Since small-scale attacks weren't enough, he simply scaled things up. A great cyclone of steam swirled into existence before rampaging towards the Cruel Jack. Hayashi watched it with interest. He allowed it to slam into him, sending him flying. He landed on his back, only slightly harmed by the incredible force.

What surprised him were the cuts that were dripping blood. It took a lot to harm Hayashi, which was why his power armor was specialized for stealth instead of defense. The fact that Donovan had cut him suggested he was still a threat even when he limited himself as much as he was already.

Donovan, encouraged by the blood he'd drawn, created a larger cyclone. Hayashi decided it was his turn to attack though, neatly avoiding the new cyclone by vanishing and reappearing. The Cruel Jack summoned two fireballs which he clasped in his hands. Even as he dodged Donovan's attacks, he kept condensing the fireballs in his fists. The green flames grew increasingly brighter, becoming increasingly radiant. Once he was sure empowering the fireballs anymore would be too dangerous for Donovan, he rushed forwards.

Although he hadn't been able to interrupt Hayashi, the Steam Jack clearly saw what he was doing. Snorting, Donovan launched a blade of steam with speed and power of a magnitude greater than anything he'd used thus far in the duel. It stopped an inch from the Cruel Jack's throat.

"We're finished" Donovan said. "That would have decapitated you if you didn't use any souls and knowing you, you wouldn't waste any for a duel like this."

Hayashi nodded and said "I'll need to practice. While I can imitate some of your techniques they're just imitations. Still, although I may have lost this duel it's clear who has improved more."

Donovan shook his head and laughed. "It only seems that way because you think my ability to transform into steam is all I gained" the Steam Jack responded. "You would never reveal everything you've gained since the Third Shift, so why would I either?"

Hayashi conceded the point "That may well be true. Still, even if it is true, I've never feared you. For all your power, you have other weaknesses that will restrict you from ever posing a true threat."

Donovan simply smiled in response to that statement. He then said "I'm going to get some rest. I suggest you do the same."