Snippet #2291325

The Scarlet Slash leapt back to disengage, and even before her feet stopped sliding the kunai burst free of the dissipating smoke, flying toward her with the faint hiss of cutting wind. She jerked her ninjato in line in time to deflect the missile, sending it clattering to the ground beside her. Akimoto Tsugaru followed a split second after, closing the distance with an odd, low-thrown punch. She smirked at the tactic, ready to deliver the counter that would end the duel.

Her eyes widened when the armored-nin revealed the feint, as his weighty kick came flying from above. Even as she attempted to block or evade she marveled at her rival's speed and power, knowing she wouldn't be able to block the blow in time. She grunted and fell to her knees as the strike took her in the shoulder -- only by dropping and turning it into a roll was she able to safely absorb the bone-breaking force, but pain shrieked through her shoulder nonetheless as she rolled back to her feet, ninjato discarded in the grass.

Before she was able to retrieve another kunai, Akimoto was upon her, pressing his advantage with a series of blows that she did her best to avoid or deflect. If her earlier attacks had been a lightning storm, his were an avalanche, and she found herself giving up ground with every step to avoid being buried. Pushed farther and farther back in the area they had cleared for the muketsu duel, Miya desperately countered with the occasional jab or kick, whenever his slower attacks gave her faster strikes an opening. These attacks fell uselessly off his armor like drops of rain off a mountain summit.

Hoping that his strength would soon be flagging after the assault, Miyazaki rode out the attacks as best she could, waiting for her chance to end this. Unable to use her right arm without considerable pain, she was forced to defend with her left and dodge whenever she could. Finally an opening revealed itself, and the Scarlet Slash countered with her injured right arm, hoping the move would be unanticipated.

Pain flooded through her shoulder, and light-headed she vaguely wondered if it was dislocated. Her vision tunneled as she swooned, and her last thought was of whether or not her blow had even landed. She would find out when she came to just a few moments later.