Tournament of the Gods

The Truer gentleman

Xi Hing rode on his horse tugging at it's reins steadily causing the animal's speed to accelerate, he appeared to be in the lead as there was no one before him.

"There are far more advanced vehicles than mine," Xi Hing thought as he kept riding on.  "My means of transport is incomparable in terms of speed and power when compared to some, also, when this race began, most of the advanced vehicles sped up, the fact that I can't see them before me shows that they must have hidden themselves strategically all over the race tracks, they aim to attack any unsuspecting racer."

While Xi Hing was still yet thinking, the ground beneath him opened up.

"I have you now," a feminine voice said, just as the voice spoke, tentacles shut from the opening in the ground, it wrapped around the horse and the rider.  Xi Hing was frozen in his position unable to move.

"That Zhangshun Shan really gave me a scare," the feminine voice came again as it materialized directly beside Xi Hing, she was a tall woman about 182 centimeters tall, she had long pink hair and small lemon coloured eyes, she was dressed in a small black miniskirt and loose yellow t-shirt.  "For a while there, I thought I had become useless but as we began this race, I wanted to have a taste of my favorite drink and it appeared," she continued now with a sinister smile on her face as she transformed to a smaller girl but still with her same attributes.  "Also, I realized I could also change my body and face as I desired, the only thing I was restricted from doing was manipulating this plane itself or objects I didn't create of my own volition."

"For your mind," Xi Hing's voice came behind her.  "You have captured me."

The woman thought in shock as she suddenly turned behind her.  "How are you still alive," she gasped.

"Krigo is vast and robust," Xi Hing began.  "It can sense the energy of both living and non living things, the 1A plane we are all standing upon is more powerful, sinuous and ornate than even I can comprehend but that ground right there," Xi Hing pointed to the spot where the supposed him and his horse were entangled.  "Wasn't as intricate as the rest of the 1A plane, that alone made it obvious that this was a ploy and an obvious bait, with that in mind, I made a double of myself and the horse, then I set it keep running while at the same time making my real horse and I invisible and inconspicuous."

"For a 3D being," the woman began with a sinister smile as she had reverted from the little girl she transformed to.  "You are formidable but still there's nothing you can do against a 20D being."

"The molecular composition and organ arrangement is the only thing about me that's 3D," Xi Hing said with a straight serious face.  "I have fought battles that you can't even begin to comprehend, beings that if I began to disclose the convolutions, your brain would immediately liquedify and run out of your ear."

"Stop talking big," the woman frowned.  "I, Sagalaoanainavajabakakaba...."

"Are you going to do something meaningful with your life or you will just keep speaking rubbish," Xi Hing interrupts.

"Rubbish, I dare to reveal the name of a high dimensional being such as me to an insignificant scum such as you and you have the guts to say I say rubbish, I will show you rubbish," she screamed as the tentacles which had wrapped around the fake Xi Hing and his horse untangled itself and launched towards Xi Hing and his horse.

Xi Hing jumped away from his horse, stretching his right arm, a sword appears on it.

"Martial arts : great cyclone!!!" Xi Hing shouts aloud as he slashed his weapon towards the earth, just as he did, a comically large cyclone materialized out of nowhere and sped towards the 20D being.

The 20D being had her most sinister smile as she stretched her arms, just as she did, the cyclone vanished.

Xi Hing was raised a few feet above the ground, tentacles wrapped around his neck.  It was ironic as about 12 metres away from that position was another Xi Hing beside his horse.

"How is this possible?" Xi Hing mutters.  "I delibrately set another fake of me to be with the real horse while I stayed at a safe position and waited for a perfect time to get away."

"Gyhahahahahahhahaahahahahhaahaa," she laughed aloud.  "Did you really think you had the edge in this battle, you are but a mere 3D being, you can't possibly hope to match a being such as I in a game of wits, though I have to say, you surprised me the first time as you easily saw through my ruse but then I thought, in what area do you have the edge over me," she smiled evilly as she continued.  "The answer came to me, it's thinking, that's what has caused every creature no matter how complex or simple it is to evolve to superior lifeforms and triumph over disastrous challenges, if I could find a way to know absolutely all your thoughts, then my victory was guaranteed, that's why I created this bangle I am wearing," she said as she raised her right arm revealing a set of gold plated bangles.  "What it does is read the thoughts of every creature below 20D, I knew what you were thinking so I knew how best to counter and how to defeat you, you are nothing but a useless scum in comparison to me, no more than a plaything."

"For your mind," Xi Hing said as he tore away the tentacles, as he did that, he dropped to the ground.  "You have captured me and I am a helpless prey."

"H.....h...how i...is th...this," the 20D being kept mumbling shakily.

"Ooh, you are wondering how I am able to break your weak tentacles and also, why there is no thought relating to that occuring in my mind," Xi Hing began with a mocking smile.

"You scum," the 20D being screamed as several objects appeared above Xi Hing, some of them were living creatures such as mammoths, bears, lions while others were objects with unknown colours, bizarre shapes and unimaginable sizes.  "I will simply crush you like the maggot you are."

"I am taller than you so realistically you are the maggot," Xi Hing said with an even more mocking expression.

"Die, you useless maggot," she screamed as she swiped her hands causing the objects to rain down on Xi Hing.  It rained down on Xi Hing, the next sounds that were heard were that of bones snapping and blood spilling.

"I finally did it," she breathed heavily as she walked towards the spot where the objects had crushed Xi Hing, there was a pool of blood around it, she smiled as she bent her index finger, as she did that, all the objects that were there disappeared.  On the ground was a writing, it was "For your mind, you have killed me."

As she saw this saying, she staggered backwards, it was then that she realized what had happened.  "I was never fighting against one person this whole time, actually I was fighting two, I had actually captured the real Xi Hing on his horse with my first trap, when I was taking aback and saw another Xi Hing, I had subconsciously undid the effect on the real Xi Hing and let him escape even though it was just for a fraction of a millisecond.  I had also captured the supposedly fake Xi Hing with my tentacles that wrapped around his neck but the initial Xi Hing that escaped switched positions with him and put on an illusion that made it look like he was actually captured by my tentacles, the way he easily broke it was to taunt me into not thinking straight so I wouldn't realize that I was being played this whole time, the one who had this saying 'for your mind,' isn't even Xi Hing, it must be the other counterpart who was helping Xi Hing," the 20D being smiled as she looked up.  "I don't know who he is but he sure is something."

"I think a thank you is in order," Jumoeng Sheng smiled to Xi Hing, he was riding on his camel while Xi Hing was silent on his horse.

"I knew there would be traps along the track and yet, there was nothing I could do when it surfaced," Xi Hing thought bitterly.

"For your mind," Jumoeng Sheng began.  "You are beating yourself up about the incident that happened,"

"No s**t," Xi Hing muttered, sarcasm apparent in his voice.

"We are facing the best from every reality across infinite multiverses in every omniverse, you can't possibly think you could handle this alone," Jumoeng Sheng continued.

"I still don't understand," Xi Hing said now turning towards Jumoeng Sheng.  "I betrayed your trust and nearly had you killed, why did you still save me?"

"You asked for a truce," Jumoeng Sheng smiled.  "Also, this is an unfamiliar terrain, I don't know if I am weird or anything but as far as I could remember, I have always wanted friends and never wanted enemies, I guess everyone was once like this, no one was born desiring war or seeking it, what everyone wanted was bliss or peace, what sets everyone apart is what they do to achieve what they want but really everyone just wants the same thing in the end at least the rational ones," Jumoeng Sheng ends with a chuckle but Xi Hing just looked at him unemphatically.  "But I have always hated killings, all I want is a world where everyone can live in peace and unity without anyone having to be sacrificed for it, that's why I was excited beyond words when you called for the truce, also, why I held back when you came to attack me before we came here."

"Is that the reason why you let the 20D being live?" Xi Hing said indiginantly. "A man's limit is his mentality, if you keep up with that bullshit, your end is imminent, the world is cruel and never goes as anyone expects, gods and lower creatures alike," Xi Hing said as he bowed his head.  "I really don't know who's more delusional, Zhangshun Shan or you, well, I guess that's why you became best of friends."

"Best of friends!!" Jumoeng Sheng blushes as he began to scratch the back of his head.  "We just met so I wouldn't exactly tag both of us as that, though, I have to admit, he's sure one of a kind and his benevolence towards me is noticeable."

"Zhangshun Shan also holds has a delusion, I don't know which is more unrealistic, yours or is," Xi Hing began.  "But I wanna see how it all turns out, without the intention to derail from this conversation, how did you plan that last escape?"

"Are you referring to the time when that woman sent those objects down on us?"

"Precisely."

"It was easy, after I swapped places with you, I kept taunting her with the aim of her losing her cool," Jumoeng Sheng grins showing his perfect set of white teeth.  "When she had done that, I bent down on the ground and wrote a message for her, then I appeared on my camel and here we are."

"Wouldn't she figure out that no one died?"

"She can't," Jumoeng Sheng smiled.  "She's a being that laws of reality and physics don't conform to but rather are conformed according to her wishes and whim, what I am trying to say is that I manipulated her into creating a copy of you that she killed but after seeing my message, she'd know what happened."

"You are more resourceful than I esteemed you to be."

"Awwwn," Jumeong Sheng grins as he began to scratch the back of his head lightly.  "You are making me blush."

Xi Hing had a more disappointing facial expression on his face as he turned away from him and focused on the road.

************************************

Ashley's face was fearful as she watched Ken approach her.

"So despite all he said, this is what he amounted to, it's just as the saying goes, the emptiest barrel makes the loudest noise," Ashley thought in fear as she watched Ken coming towards her.  "And now, thanks to my foolish actions, I am going to be destroyed alongside, I feel so angry at Zan and myself, he should have let me despair..."

"I know what you are thinking," Ken smiles as he began to adjust his sleeves. "You are thinking Zan was all bark and no bite but that doesn't mean you shouldn't appreciate his effort," Ken smiles as he walks towards her.  "Every gentleman always comforts a lady who's in despair no matter what, that's why chivalry is always associated with us, no human should ever lose their will to live as that's true death, Zan helped you to regain that will when you lost it, the least you can do is honor it and stand tall till the very end, after all, it's a gentlemanly thing to do."

"Enough with the bullshit," Zhangshun Shan's voice came behind Ken, Ken turned slowly towards the direction of the voice, he began to adjust his collar as he looked at him.

"I know you are just a dud, the cellular configuration of your body is vibrating at exactly 89.672 Hertz and the one before me is vibrating at 52.74 Hertz, it must be a poorly created double seeing the huge difference," the gentleman man said.

Ashley could feel her heart jump for joy as she saw Zhangshun Shan. "Zan is alive, he's really alive, I am so happy, don't ever leave me, I will die without you."

"Is that the only way you were able to pin I am a double?" Zhangshun Shan smiled evilly.

"Also, your manner of speech, it changed, you were fond of using fudge and shite before but at the moment, you reverted to s**t in your last sentence," Ken smiled as he began to brush his hair lightly.  "Noticing all of this would have been impossible if I wasn't gentle."

"And now, you think your observational skills are a strength, am I right?"

"But of course," Ken smiled.

"Now, let me show you," Zhangshun Shan had his most demeaning grin as he walked forward.  "That all strength is weakness before the great Zhangshun Shan."

"Child, don't bluff, it can't work on a true gentleman."

"If that's the case," Zhangshun Shan grinned as he jumped towards Ken, Ken smiled as a machine gun appeared before him and fired bullets towards Zhangshun Shan, Zhangshun Shan smiled as he stretched his right arm, a sword appeared, swiping it as fast as possible, Zhangshun Shan split every bullet approaching him into ten equal pieces.  "Then you aren't a true gentleman."

"That's impossible, those bullets are made of geluuoelan, a 15D metal, it's impossible for any 3D being to cut it," Ken gasped.

"Your mistake," Zhangshun Shan smiled as he got in front of Ken, before Ken could react, his right arm was severed from his body as it flung high in the atmosphere. "Is you not knowing I was more of a gentleman."

"AHRRRRGHHHHHH!!!!," Ken screamed in pain.  "How is this possible," he thought.  "I disabled the concept of pain for myself, I am not supposed to feel this, just what's happening? Just who is this Zhangshun Shan."

"You finally learnt to say my name correctly," Zhangshun Shan grinned maliciously as he makes Another dash towards him.

"How is he reading my mind so accurately, this is impossible, I am a gentleman and gentlemen always make the decisions based on precise observations and yet Zan is making more detailed observations than I, what's happening?" Ken thought I'm fear as he staggered backwards.

As Zhangshun Shan got to Ken's position, he brought out his weapon and swiped it towards Ken, Ken dodged narrowly but almost immediately as he did, Zhangshun Shan frowned as he hit him on his ribs sending flying hundreds of feet above the ground, Zhangshun Shan jumped towards the flying Ken and while he was in the air, Zhangshun Shan hit him vehemently with the blade of his weapon, Ken spat out blood but Zhangshun Shan didn't relax, grabbing him by his left foot, Zhangshun Shan twirled him in the air as he sent him to the ground, as Ken landed on the ground, Zhangshun Shan appeared directly before him.

"I am pretty sure you are amazed about what's happening," Zhangshun Shan grinned evilly.  "Well, since you are so hitched up on this gentleman crap, then let me return the favor, first of all, I delibrately gave everyone human bodies as I know every single ornate and intricate detail about the human body, " Zhangshun Shan smiled as he snapped his fingers, as he did, there were pink coloured roses all over the ground and surrounding Ashley.  "These roses are of a rare breed, known as pereneli hpousi, let me give you one more tip for a gentleman, they are always in touch with nature, pereneli hpousi was something I had genetically created as a result of the inference I made when studying the emotional impact of plants on humans, a human would think better and more comfortably in a garden than a bus stuffed with people and since you had a human body, the key was now exploiting that knowledge, therefore when you were initially firing me with bullets and you thought you were winning, what I was doing was stylishly setting invisible pereneli hpousi all around, because of that, your judgement was clouded as the frequency you saw regarding my cellular arrangement was wrong and it was due to the scent the pereneli hpousi was creating, it manipulates the five basic senses of the human body, in order for you not to suspect anything and think that your initial observation wasn't a trap, I had delibrately changed my manner of speech," Zhangshun Shan had his most evil smile on as he stabbed Ken in his neck.  "Also, the blade of this sword isn't any 3D material, I borrowed it from a rider of dark but I used Krigo to manipulate it's appearance, hence why you were deceived that it has steel properties, that's right," Zhangshun Shan grinned as he pulled his sword out of Ken's neck.  Just as Ken could feel his life seeping out of him, he thought.  "From the time I was born, I had lived my life according to the gentleman code, I thought I was the truest gentleman but Zhangshun Shan," Ken thought as he looked at the White-haired Chinese.  "Was a gentleman even truer than I, it's an honor to fall at your hands." Zhangshun Shan had his most devious grin on as he said  "I predicted your prediction that predicted my prediction."