Chapter 34: Rinko vs Team SSSN
Rinko moved with unparalleled precision, his every motion fluid and calculated. Scarlet swung his saber, Darling, with wild determination, each strike cutting through the air where Rinko had just been.
"Hmph! Hold still, will ya?" Scarlet growled, his frustration mounting with each failed attempt to land a blow.
But Rinko remained unbothered, weaving effortlessly through the barrage of attacks.
His sharp senses picked up the sound of heavy footsteps approaching from behind.
"ARGHH!" Sage roared, his massive blade, Pilgrim, slicing downward with the weight of a falling guillotine.
At the last moment, Rinko sidestepped, narrowly evading the strike as he ducked beneath another swing from Scarlet.
The two opponents nearly collided, their own momentum throwing them off balance.
In the split second they were exposed, Rinko leaped into the air, delivering a powerful dual kick to their faces.
"OOF-!"
"UGH-!"
Scarlet and Sage staggered back, clutching their faces as they tried to recover.
The crowd erupted into cheers and gasps, captivated by the display of skill and grace from the lone fighter.
The forest setting of the Amity Tournament arena provided ample cover while also at the other side is an uneven magma terrain.
However, it also presented unique challenges. Rinko moved seamlessly among the trees, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings.
A glint of light caught his attention-a subtle reflection of metal in the distance. Neptune.
The Shade Academy blue-haired bad boy had taken up position amidst the foliage, his weapon, Tri-Hard, aimed and ready.
Rinko's gaze flicked upwards, and he spotted a telltale splash of bright blue hair poking out from behind the leaves like a sore thumb.
'Amateur,' Rinko thought, his lips curving into a faint smirk.
Neptune, unaware he'd been spotted, adjusted his aim, trying to line up the perfect shot.
Rinko's movements became a blur as he darted through the trees, using their trunks as cover. With each step, he closed the distance between them, his footfalls so light they barely disturbed the forest floor.
Neptune's finger hovered over the trigger. "Come on... just a little closer," he muttered under his breath, his focus entirely on his red dot sight.
But before he could fire, Rinko vanished from his sight.
"What the-?" Neptune barely had time to react before a shadow loomed above him.
Rinko descended like a hawk, kicking Neptune's rifle away with enough force to send it clattering within the tree, almost fell to the ground.
"Gah!" Neptune stumbled backward, caught completely off guard.
"You should hide that hair of yours better," Rinko said calmly, his tone almost playful. "It's like a beacon out here."
Neptune gritted his teeth as he pulled out his trident, Tri-Hard, in an attempt to recover. But Rinko was faster-much faster. With a flick of his wrist, Rinko effortlessly closed the distance and lightly poked Neptune's forehead with two fingers.
The force, though minimal, was enough to send Neptune stumbling backward. Losing his balance, he tumbled down from the tree, landing unceremoniously on the forest floor with a heavy thud.
"OW-!" Neptune groaned, clutching the back of his head.
Rinko stood on the branch he'd just vacated, letting out a soft sigh as he shook his head. "Maa... just like Team 7," he muttered to himself, his voice carrying a note of fond nostalgia.
A brief flashback flickered through his mind-himself as Kakashi Hatake, facing Team 7 during the bell test. The chaotic energy of Naruto's reckless charges, Sasuke's relentless precision, and Sakura's calculated strategies felt almost like a distant dream.
He smirked at the memory, a trace of warmth in his otherwise composed expression. "Some things never change," he murmured before leaping gracefully from the branch, landing with the quiet elegance of a predator.
As Rinko's feet touched the ground, his sharp senses caught the faint rustle of movement behind him. He turned his head just in time to see Sun Wukong charging at him, closing the distance in a matter of seconds.
"Not bad," Rinko muttered, pivoting to face his new opponent.
Sun's weapons, his Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, glimmered in the light as he launched into a relentless assault. His strikes were fast and fluid, the gun-chaku-staff combination allowing him to shift between quick jabs and wide, sweeping attacks with ease.
Rinko's body moved like water, weaving through the flurry of attacks without breaking a sweat. He sidestepped a horizontal swing, ducked under an overhead strike, and leaned back to avoid a sudden jab.
"You're... pretty... slippery!" Sun muttered between swings, each word punctuated by another failed attempt to land a hit.
Rinko allowed himself a small chuckle, his calm demeanor unshaken. "It's not about being slippery," he replied, his voice level. "It's about being one step ahead."
Sun gritted his teeth, his frustration mounting. He feinted a low strike, hoping to catch Rinko off guard with a sudden upward swing. But Rinko saw through the ruse instantly.
In one swift motion, he stepped inside Sun's guard, grabbing the staff mid-swing and twisting it out of Sun's grip. Before Sun could react, Rinko flicked the weapon back, sending Sun stumbling backward.
Sun barely managed to keep his footing, his wide grin masking his irritation. "Okay, I'll admit-you're good."
Rinko twirled the confiscated staff in his hand before tossing it lightly back to Sun. "I hope that's not all you've got. The match is just getting started."
Sun caught the staff mid-air, his grin widening with renewed confidence. "Oh, don't worry. I've got plenty more where that came from."
Before Rinko could reply, a sudden battle cry erupted from above.
"RAGHH!"
Sage descended from the sky, wielding his colossal blade, Pilgrim, in both hands.
His intent was clear-a devastating, downward strike meant to end the fight in one powerful blow. The sheer force of his swing made the air tremble as the weapon hurtled downward.
Rinko, however, didn't flinch. In a split second, his form blurred, vanishing from sight just as Sage's sword slammed into the ground. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the forest terrain, dislodging leaves and startling the crowd.
Sage's eyes widened as he felt the absence of resistance from his strike. "What-?!"
Before he could even finish his thought, a sudden chill ran up his spine.
The crowd collectively gasped as their eyes darted to a new position-Rinko was already behind Sage, standing casually as though he'd been there the entire time.
Then, Rinko's hands rose.
In one fluid motion, he extended two fingers, his expression unchanging as he delivered a swift, comically precise poke to Sage's rear.
"Hidden Finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Death!" Rinko-Kakashi-yelled.
The silence in the arena shattered like glass.
Sage's face froze in an expression of pure shock as he let out an undignified yelp. The sheer absurdity of the move sent him rocketing forward, his massive frame careening uncontrollably into a nearby tree.
CRASH!
The crowd erupted into a cacophony of gasps, laughter, and cheers.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Professor Port exclaimed, nearly dropping his microphone.
"Ahem-er, well... an unorthodox maneuver, to say the least," Dr. Oobleck stammered, his normally rapid-fire commentary faltering as he tried to process the scene.
Sun, Neptune, and Scarlet stared in disbelief, their jaws practically on the floor.
"What... what just happened?" Neptune finally managed, his voice tinged with equal parts horror and amusement.
Sun broke into uncontrollable laughter, clutching his stomach. "He just-HAHA-oh my gods, he actually did that!"
Scarlet, still recovering from earlier, blinked in bewilderment. "Is that even allowed?!"
Meanwhile, Sage lay sprawled against the tree he'd collided with, groaning in a mix of pain and mortification.
Rinko, unfazed, brushed off his hands as if completing a mundane task. His calm demeanor only made the ridiculousness of the situation more surreal.
He turned back to face the remaining members of Team SSSN, his eyes shimmering with playful mischief. "You should really work on watching your blind spots," he remarked coolly, his voice carrying just enough amusement to let them know he wasn't taking things too seriously.
The audience roared with delight, clearly entertained by the unexpected turn of events.
Team RWBY and Team JNPR's
The stands were in chaos as Team RWBY and Team JNPR collectively lost their composure.
"WHAT DID HE JUST DO?!" Ruby practically screeched, pointing at the arena with wide eyes. Her face was a mix of shock and barely contained laughter.
Yang, on the other hand, was already doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. She slapped her knee, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
"He just gave that poor guy the ultimate wedgie of pain! Oh my gods, that was perfect!" Yang loudly exclaimed while laughing.
Blake had her hand over her mouth, her cat ears twitching furiously. She was trying not to laugh but failing miserably, her shoulders shaking with silent chuckles.
Weiss, however, was mortified. "WHAT IN REMNANT IS HE DOING?!" she shouted, her cheeks flushing crimson as she buried her face in her hands. "That is so undignified! I cannot believe he would-ugh!" She peeked through her fingers just in time to see Rinko brush himself off nonchalantly, making her groan louder.
"He's definitely your brother!" Yang teased, nudging Weiss with a playful elbow.
"Don't you dare!" Weiss shot back, glaring at her teammate.
"DID HE JUST POKE THAT DUDE IN THE-" Jaune couldn't even finish his sentence, his jaw hanging open in disbelief.
"YES! HE DID!" Nora shouted, practically bouncing in her seat. "That was amazing! I need to learn that move! Ren, we HAVE to try it in training!"
Ren, ever calm, crossed his arms, though there was a faint twitch at the corner of his lips that suggested he was suppressing a smile. "I think I'll pass."
Pyrrha's reaction was a mixture of surprise and exasperation. "That was... unexpected." She placed a hand to her forehead. "But... effective?"
Ruby leaned forward, her silver eyes wide with awe. "Okay, but... how do you even think of something like that in the middle of a fight?!"
Winter Schnee, Atlas Ship
Elsewhere, in one of the VIP viewing lounges, Winter Schnee stood with her arms crossed, her expression an icy mask of composure.
But that composure cracked the moment Rinko executed his "Hidden Finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Death!"
Winter's eyes widened in horror as her brother's utterly absurd move unfolded on screen. She leaned forward, gripping the edge of the railing.
"...Did he just...?" Her voice was a low, disbelieving whisper, her usual controlled demeanor slipping for just a moment.
When Sage went flying into the tree, Winter closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath.
"This... is unbecoming of a Schnee," she muttered to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to ignore the roaring laughter of the audience and the commentators struggling to regain their composure.
She glanced around, noting how even some of the Atlas military officials stationed nearby were snickering. Winter's jaw tightened.
"Rinko," she murmured under her breath, her voice a mix of frustration and resignation, "you're going to give the Schnee name an aneurysm..."
Yet, despite herself, a faint, begrudging smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"...But at least you're creative."
Amity Arena
Sage groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, wincing with every movement. "Ugh... My butt hurts..." he muttered, rubbing his sore backside.
Rinko, ever composed, offered a casual shrug. "No hard feelings." His tone was calm, almost disarming, as if the absurd move he had just pulled off was nothing out of the ordinary.
But Sage was having none of it. His face twisted in frustration, and he gripped Pilgrim, his massive sword, with both hands. "You're gonna regret that!" he growled, charging toward Rinko with renewed determination.
Sage swung his sword in a wide, heavy arc, the blade slicing through the air with a whistle. Rinko, with his usual effortless grace, sidestepped the swing, ducking just in time to avoid the follow-up strike.
As Sage pressed the attack, Neptune, who had repositioned himself, saw an opening. He lunged at Rinko from behind, his trident, Tri-Hard, poised to strike.
"Gotcha!" Neptune shouted, his voice brimming with confidence.
But Rinko's senses were sharp, and he didn't need to see the attack to know it was coming.
As Neptune's trident closed in, Rinko spun on his heel, twisting his body just enough to narrowly evade the strike.
The trident's prongs stabbed into the ground, kicking up a spray of dirt and leaves from the forest floor.
Rinko took advantage of Neptune's momentary stumble, gripping the shaft of the trident with one hand and using it as leverage to vault himself into the air.
Neptune looked up in shock as Rinko's silhouette momentarily eclipsed the sunlight filtering through the trees. "How the-"
Before Neptune could finish his sentence, Rinko flipped midair and landed behind him, his katana now drawn.
With a single, swift motion, Rinko struck the base of Neptune's trident with the flat of his blade, sending the weapon flying from Neptune's grasp.
The trident clattered to the ground several feet away, leaving Neptune defenseless.
Neptune staggered back, holding up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I get it, you're scary good!"
"Glad you're catching on," Rinko replied, his tone light but laced with quiet authority.
Sage, unwilling to let Rinko gain the upper hand, roared as he charged again, this time aiming for a downward strike with all his strength.
The sheer force of the swing caused the ground to tremble slightly.
Rinko sidestepped the attack once more, the heavy blade embedding itself into the ground with a loud thud.
In one fluid motion, Rinko moved behind Sage and tapped his shoulder with the blunt side of his katana.
Sage froze, realizing too late that he had overcommitted to his attack.
"Lesson one," Rinko said, his voice calm but firm. "Never let frustration cloud your judgment."
The crowd roared with excitement at Rinko's flawless evasion and counterplay.
The display of skill was nothing short of mesmerizing, and even the commentators were struggling to keep up.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Professor Port exclaimed, his voice booming over the speakers, "it appears our lone warrior is not just holding his own-he's dominating this match with unparalleled precision!"
Sage backs off as he landed near Neptune as they regrouped, glaring at Rinko with a mix of frustration and respect.
Sun and Scarlet exchanged glances, their earlier confidence now replaced with wariness.
"This guy..." Sun muttered, gripping his staff tightly. "He's making us look like amateurs."
Scarlet nodded, his brow furrowed. "We're gonna have to step it up if we want to stand a chance."
Rinko, meanwhile, stood calmly amidst the chaos, his katana, resting on his shoulder as it was gleaming in the sunlight.
His expression was unreadable, but his blue eyes carried the quiet confidence of someone who had faced far greater challenges than this.
"Come on," he said, beckoning them with his free hand. "Show me what you've got."
[End]