A Warrior's Resolve

ONE DAY LATER

"*GROAN* I can't believe that last night I messed up my chances of finally capturing Hari Ashikaga and a demon!", said Matsumura in his thoughts, slamming the table angerly.

"I will catch you eventually and when I do, I will finally get the respect needed from The Guard, The Royals, and my father.", he then takes a bite out of his food.

"I have to be perfect, no more screw-ups, if I do, my rank will go down and I will be looked down by all the others and that shouldn't happen if I'm the General's son!".

"I need to do some training, just so I can get my mind off things.", he then gets up and walks out of the dinning hall.

He goes outside to the training grounds and started doing deadlifts, push ups, pull ups and many other types training non-stop for 3 hours.

"Careful now, you don't want to do too much or else you'll ruin your body.", says another member training next to him.

"Thank you for the concern, but I will be fine.", Matsumura says while doing pull ups upside-down with weights tied to strings gritted between his teeth.

"I have to get stronger, strong enough to able to take down Hari Ashikaga.", he thought to himself as he continues his training.

A few of members watches Matsumura train from a distant.

"That kid surely doesn't know his own limits.", one of the members said with concern.

"He's a relentless monster!", another says nervously.

"Nothing less to expect from the General's son!", another says smiling, while sipping water.

"Pfft, he's a shrimp compared to me!", says a heavy built member mockingly, while flexing.

"You know what, I can prove it, I've been part of the Royal Guard for years before he was born and taken down many opponents in a battle and won every time.", he says as he gets up and walks toward Matsumura and says:

"Hey kid, why don't you and I spar, just to prove who's stronger?", he says looking down on Matsumura with an intimidating grin.

Matsumura wipes his sweat, "Why do we need to prove to who's stronger, we know who's stronger and that's me.", Matsumura says with a smirk.

The heavy built man laughs and says:

"Cocky, eh? I like it! What's your name kid?", the man says.

"My name isn't kid, it's Matsumura Yasuhiro.", he says with a scowl.

"That's quite an attitude you have, why don't you use that same energy when we fight! My name is Endo Hisashi by the way!", the man says smiling with his hands on his hips.

"I've already told you, that there is no need to know who's stronger!", Matsumura says with annoyance.

"Well, how about just as another part of your training, huh?", Endo says with persistence.

"*Sigh* Fine we're only doing this as part of training and not as competition.", he says reluctantly holding his hand out to shake.

"Great, now let's see how strong the General's son really is.", Endo says as he shook his hand.

A few minutes later, Matsumura and Endo are stood on a platform that are used for duals and swordplay.

"OKAY THEN, HERE ARE THE RULES!", a referee says.

"1. There can be only one winner, if its tied, the round resets, unless one or both opponents recovers before countdown!

2. You cannot leave the platform, it would be immediate disqualification!

3. No use of weapons, only physical attacks and abilities!

4. If one opponent forfeits, the other wins by default, if other opponent refuses, the one who forfeited wins!".

Endo starts cracking his knuckles and gives a smirk while Matsumura squints his eyes while getting into position.

"BEGIN!!!".

The two men lunge to each other, they both collide and are now holding hands in a tight grip.

"Heh, impressive, no one can handle my grip strength, but it doesn't mean your gonna win by just holding hands!", Endo says has he starts pushing.

"*GRUNT!* This guy is very strong, way stronger than I can handle!", Matsumura thought to himself as he tries to get a steady footing.

"Like hell if I lose to someone with more brawn than brain!", he says while he grips tighter.

Matsumura then leans his head back and headbutts into Endo's face.

"AHHH!!", Endo yells and grabs his nose that is bleeding.

Endo looks at his hand that is covered in blood, "Heh heh heh heh....", Endo started to laugh a little.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!", Endo starts laughing.

"You have some guts, kid, I think playing with you is a little insulting, don't you think? We should take this more seriously!", Endo says while grabbing his face.

As Endo moved his hand away from his face, his once bloody and bruised nose, now suddenly healed.

___________________________________________________________

PART TWO

"W-what, how.....?!", Matsumura says before:

"BAM!!", Endo punched Matsumura but he blocked with his arms just in time.

"*GRUNT!* Somethings off, his strength is different, he's suddenly stronger than before!", Matsumura thought to himself as he jumps back.

"This must be his ability, but what is it? Healing, regeneration?", Matsumura thought until:

"BAM!!", Endo launches another punch, he blocks again.

"Stop with the daydreaming if you don't want to get killed, FIGHT ME!", Endo yells with a sadistic grin.

"Wait, now his attack is not as strong as before? What is this guy's ability?!", Matsumura thought in frustration.

Matsumura started charging towards him, he starts having a beatdown on Endo, who is smiling and laughing.

While Matsumura was punching him repeatedly, Endo's wounds and bruises healed instantly, he then plants his feet to the ground.

"BAM!!! CRACK!!!", Endo punched Matsumura in his chest and he gets sent flying to the other side of the platform.

Everyone gasped, some have concerned looks and some are cheering

Matsumura is now on his back to the ground.

He is grasping his chest and gasping for air.

"Get up, Matsumura! You have to finish the fight!", a guard yells within the crowd.

"Stay down, lose and prove that I'm the stronger man, this is an unbeatable fight.", Endo says.

"10, 9, 8, 7,...", the referee says.

"That time, it hurt more than those other times..... I think I figured out your ability....", he thought to himself while coughing up blood.

"....6, 5, 4, 3, 2,....", the referee says before:

"*Grunt* Heh..... the stronger man?.... unbeatable?..... That's really funny.", Matsumura says as he gets up with one knee.

"Why don't you give up? Do you want to die that badly!?", Endo says in a serious tone.

"If it proves that I'm the stronger one, death would be the best option, but I rather live losing than die winning.", Matsumura says.

Matsumura wipes the blood from his mouth.

Suddenly, the blood in his hand started to take form.

"W-what are you doing?!", Endo says confused.

"This arena does have any metal for me to manipulate, so I had no choice but to fight with my fists, and so,..... I will use the iron in my blood instead!", Matsumura yells with widened eyes and a large sadistic smile.

"W-what is up with this kid?! To come back up after an attack like that, he should be knocked out instantly! This kid is not crazy, HE'S INSANE!!", Endo thought to himself in frustration.

Matsumura splashes his blood, that took form into arrows.

Endo rushes through, taking in many blows from them.

"I have to keep up if my plan will work, if I don't, I will die!", Matsumura he thought as he continues throwing attacks at him and dodging Endo's attacks.

"Stay still you little sh*t! You can't get away forever!", Endo says while chasing Matsumura, attempting to attack him.

"He's right, I'm getting low on energy from bleeding, I think its time to let the plan go into action!", Matsumura thought to himself.

Endo punches, but Matsumura jumps and creates a rope, lassoed it around Endo's fist, lands behind him and pulled the rope with all his strength.

"BAM!! CRACK!!", Endo's fist was pulled towards his face punching himself and knocking himself instantly.

Everyone goes silent.

"E-endo? Hey, stop joking around, man!", one of Endo's friends says shaking Endo.

The referee walks on stage towards Matsumura.

"THE WINNER: MATSUMURA YASUHIRO!!!", the referee yells while holding his hand in the air.

Everyone starts cheering loudly.

"H-how did you beat him?!", Endo's friend says angerly.

"I figured out his ability. He absorbs any pain towards himself, he then builds it up and turns it into one large attack."

"I knew none of my attacks would work, so I had a theory to make him use his ability and hurt himself with his own attack.", Matsumura says.

Matsumura then collapses to ground. "Matsumura! Someone get these men medical attention!", the referee yells.

MANY HOURS LATER

"*Groan*"

"Look who's finally waking up?", a nurse says.

Matsumura opens his eyes slowly, "W-where am I?", he says weakly.

"Don't talk, you need to have energy to heal your wounds.", she says as she puts a wet rag on his forehead.

"You're in the Medical Ward, you're very lucky to be alive, you have broken 9 ribs, a punctured lung, respiratory damage and not enough bananas in your diet.".

"GOOD F*CKIN LOR-!", Matsumura says before:

"*COUGH! COUGH!*", he coughs with blood coming out.

"HEY, I SAID NO TALKING! Don't move too much either, just relax if you want your wounds to heal!", the woman says angerly.

"*Groan* Don't nurses here have healing magic or something? Why don't you use it?", Matsumura says in a whispering tone.

"I don't usually use it, unless I have to.", the nurse says.

"Why don't you use it as much?", Matsumura asks.

"Well, because it would be too easy.", the nurse added, "I didn't spend 4 years in medical school, only just to be using magic to deal with all my problems."

The nurse walked towards the window looking outside, "I worked way too hard, only just for it to be done with little effort, I have all this medical knowledge and experience, but will never get to use, and so, I make use of what I know.", she says with a soft smile.

Matsumura looks at her, "Hmm.... I see.", Matsumura says thinking to himself.

"I think I get it.", he says as he lays down.

"Luckily for you, Mr. Yasuhiro, I will use my healing magic, just so that your recovery will be a bit quicker.", the nurse says as she hold out her hands and places it softly on his chest.

"Well, use a little bit of it, just enough for me to heal on my own.", Matsumura says blushing a little bit.

The nurse lets out a small laugh and a soft smile, "Okay then.", the nurse says.

The nurse's hands emitted a green glow.

"Actually it feels, kind of warm, its really-", Matsumura says before:

"AHHHH!!!! OH GOD, WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!?!? THIS WORSE THAN BEFORE!!!!", Matsumura yells in agony.

"Well, this is another reason why I don't use my ability, It does work like it should, but the problem is that it will forcefully reconstruct your body into healing itself, so right now your bones are probably building themselves back together, which is why it hurts, but it will be over soon.", the nurse says in calm tone while Matsumura continuously screams in agony.

Two days had passed and Matsumura completely healed all his injuries.

"This treatment was very painful, but now I feel completely fresh and new!", Matsumura says as he checks himself, completely astonished.

"That's good, now that your all better, you should head back.", the nurse says with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Miss, uhhhh.....", Matsumura says trying not to look like he didn't remember her name.

"Its Akira Kitamura, but you can just call me Akira.", she says holding her hand out.

"Well Akira, it was nice knowing you, hopefully we will see each other again.", Matsumura says, shaking her hand in response.

"I hope we don't, because you will probably be in a full-body cast.", Akira says jokingly.

"Well, I hope you're the one treating me again.", Matsumura says jokingly.

Akira blushes and says, "HA, you flirt! Alright then, back to work now, don't want to leave the General waiting too long.".

"I don't want to experience that again, but it was better than being alone.", Matsumura thought to himself.

Matsumura leaves the medical ward and encounters a familiar face.

"Hey kid, glad to see you're feelin' better now!", says Endo with a smile, now with a large scar on his face.

Matsumura, once calm and relaxed, now with an angry expression, "What do you want?", he says as he walks down a corridor.

"Aw, don't be like that! We're friends now, since we had that!", Endo says while following Matsumura.

"We are not friends and how does one become friends with someone, who also has beaten them half to death.", Matsumura says as he walks faster.

"Well, that's fair, but I just want to say, it was a good fight, probably the best one I had in a while! Afterall you did give me this bad scar on my face.", Endo says, while catching up to him.

"Doesn't your ability heal you? Why don't you get that scar off already?", Matsumura says, while he walks even faster.

"I can't heal it, besides, I want it as a memento of our fight, and was hoping you and I can fight again one day as a rematch?", Endo says, basically jogging to catch up.

"That's freaky and maybe in the future, who knows?", Matsumura says while running trying to get away.

"Right, well anyways I'm going to stop chasing you, 'cause the story is getting too long and my legs are getting tired.", Endo says as he waves goodbye and goes the opposite direction.

"*Sigh* Well, hopefully father isn't waiting too long.", Matsumura says before walking past a corridor.

He then suddenly stops to see a piece of fabric on the ground.

He then picks it up and looks at it.

"What's this doing here?".

FUN FACT:

The name Endo means "Far Wisteria" and Hisashi means "Long time".

The name Akira means "Bright, Intelligent" and Kitamura means "Northern Village".