The Face: Tournament of Death, Chapter Thirteen

"Here, I'll even let you throw the first punch," Joseph taunted. Much obliged, I pulled back my fist and propelled feet forward. Aiming my fist horizontally, I jabbed at his right cheek. He quickly reached out his hand in rapid motion, with his karate taught skills and blocked my fist with his hand, gripping it. My knuckles began to pulse with discomfort. After seconds of the intolerance, he slowly let it go.

I pulled my hand back, rubbing my knuckles, myself gripped with growing distraught. "How did he do that? He must be very skilled," I thought to myself. "Hopefully my self-taught Art of Self Defense Online training will come in handy." But there was no more time to think, like a rushing freight train Bell charged toward me, and before I knew it I was upon the ground writhing in ache, as my cheek throbbed and eye flinched. I groaned in frustration.

He ran toward me again, and I decided to trigger an element of surprise, by spreading two fingers outward, and darting them straight in line of Bell's vision. To my successful surprise, my fingers made contact, but not before Bell had closed his eyes. Though still, he was quite phased. He groaned at the agony in his sockets. "Agh!" he cried. Holding his eyes. Clearly I had the advantage now, and I acted upon it, I tackled the ailing Joseph onto the ground and whacked him in the face. Things were looking good for me right then.

"Look, Panda! He's actually winning! Not any sort of martial arts techniques I've ever seen...but still!" Taoyu said happily. Panda danced with glee as well. Shran however, raised a brow in suspicion, at the peculiar display of fighting technique.

I smirked in triumph at the stunning displays that amazed even myself. But befuddled looks of confusion and scratching heads scattered throughout the crowd. Soon though, a gracious bystander's clap erupted into thunderous applause. I wiped my brow in relief, and I turned around. That, was not a good idea. For Bell had caught me off guard, and swept his foot across my own and tripped me to the ground, giving himself time to relieve his stance. "Eye-poking won't win you this match," he said to me, rigidly fastening his arms into his karate stance.

He charged like a bull toward me once again, so I braced my self by holding arms up in an 'X'-like formation. But what I was not expecting was for him to stop a few feet away...which is exactly what he did. 'Huh?' I wondered, dropping my arms. That was not a good idea either, for he then, using not only the power of his fist, but added propulsion from his hips, thrust his clenched hand into my stomach like a wrench, causing me to wince in disgruntled pain. I grasped my stomach in agony, and knelt to the ground. I breathed heavily, trying to recover from the suffering blow, but yet another strike was made, this time upon my head, with the foot, which sent me backward and lying on the ground.

Gaining back enough energy, I waited. He, thinking the match over, slowly crept toward me. "Had enough, now have you?" He said, confidently. Taoyu raised her arm high and yelled through the crowd. "No, don't give up, you can do it!" Taoyu encouraged. But she did not know what I had planned. With Bell just inches away from me, in quick reaction, and understanding full well that the shin was a weak point in one's body, I lifted my good leg, and thrust it forward as rapidly as I could. Bell grabbed his lower leg in shock and anger. "Agh! You idiot!" he said. He then lifted his own foot up and tried to stomp it down upon my flesh. I rolled away quickly, avoiding the blow, then got upon one knee and clumsily returned afoot.

Thinking quickly, I joined two fingers together, and thrust them forward into the throat of Joseph Bell like a venomous snake. With great shock the karate warrior's head flinched backward, and immediately his hands grabbed his neck as he wheezed and coughed, struggling to receive air into his lungs. "Looks like you're not so sharp yourself..." I said to him.

His brows lowered in anger, like a ravaging kangaroo, he jumped into the air, sending upward his lower limb into the chin of my face. My head bobbed upward in jolted motion, and my head snapped backward. Spit and blood splattered upon the ground, but it was not over. Next, he proceeded to swing his leg downward and around in a 360 degree motion, and land it into the left side of my limb, with increasing motion and momentum, creating unsubstantial impact like that of a seismic toss against the solid, metal ground.

I lay upon the grass, unconscious, and battle lost. It was finished, Joseph would advance to the next round.

Taoyu, Panda, and Rajan gathered round my lifeless self, evaluating the damage. "It doesn't look good. Bring him to his room, perhaps the servants can tend to him," Rajan suggested. Solemnly, the young Taoyu agreed. She motioned Panda, and the large beast pulled the unmoving body upon her back, and carried it back to the temple.

"Thank you one and all for coming to the first round of the tournament," Shran announced to the crowd. "This is just a taste of what is to come in the coming days...we will surely see great battles and entertainment that will shock and amaze the entire world. It doesn't get any better than this... I hope to see you all again tomorrow."

As the crowd left the area, satisfied with the violent events of the day, they headed back to their respective locations. Kristy however, stood silent, leaning against a wall, with heel resting upon it. "Hmph, seems a bit strong for just a taste of the treat..." she scoffed.

"Shran, my friend...you're up to something. And after I get my fight with Bell, I'm gonna find out exactly what makes your island tick..."

Coming up next:

Sam's fateful meeting with the factory boss.