Hell Hath no Fury [Chapter XIII]

[Garrus Vakarian]

Ranko and Scorpion's battle would not go unseen as another set of eyes watched the conflict escalate and witnessed the defeat of the spectre Scorpion. But no tears would be shed for the fallen ninja of the Shirai Ryu as unbeknownst to him his sworn enemy was never very far from his reach. Up from the ground in front of Ranko's path came the shadow, Noob Saibot, walking calmly towards the former Empress of Jherrazad.

Noob Saibot
I see even the likes of Scorpion was not enough to contain your fury, Empress.

[Ayen]

The Crimson Devil came to a stop in her walk and she watched the shadow emerge from the ground and walk towards her, not even showing any signs of preparing for a confrontation, either displaying arrogance or the ability to prepare for battle without showing it. Regardless, Ranko readied herself for the inevitable encounter to come from his sudden appearance. No doubt another one of Quan Chi's servants come to put her in check.

“Stand in my way and you will meet the same end.”

That would be the only warning the Crimson Devil would give to the wraith, though she expected it to fall on deaf ears.

[Garrus Vakarian]

Noob Saibot
We will see.

Noob put both his hands together and created a fireball of blue and white, ironic seeing in the past his primary element was that of ice. Once it was complete, the shadow pulled back both his arms and then shot his hands forward, launching the fireball towards the chest of the former Empress.

[Ayen]

Ranko was nowhere near as fast as she could be in this current state, but she was still fast enough to avoid a shooting fireball. Charging towards the incoming flames, Ranko did a slide underneath to avoid the projectile and then came back up with an open palm to the jaw of Noob Saibot before reeling back her arm and delivering a devastating elbow to his ribcage.

[Garrus Vakarian]

Ranko wasted no time with her counter-attack as she cut the distance between them and shook the very bones inside the shadow's humanoid body. But as one shadow fell, another one rose from the ground and grabbed Ranko from behind, lifting her up through the air and then slamming her head into the ground.

[Ayen]

Ranko was helpless as she was grabbed from behind, feeling the air touch her body seconds before her fragile skull collided into the ground. When the hold was released, the Crimson Devil managed to slowly get up to one knee but Noob Saibot was nowhere to be found.

[Garrus Vakarian]

They were all around Ranko, she merely could not see them. They were hidden in the shadows, the darkness. Soon shurikens were launched from the darkness that surrounded the former Empress, coming at her from every angle imaginable. The shurikens came in fives per second, slicing through clothes, flesh, a dark laughter soon followed as the shadows laughed in unison.

[Ayen]

Ranko held up her arms in front of her body in a block and then rushed forward, avoiding some of the shurikens while being sliced by others. Charging up her demonic energy, she lit up the darkness and then in a burst of speed unleashed a rapid fire of punches towards Noob Saibot.

[Garrus Vakarian]

As soon as the light shred the darkness Ranko would be grabbed from behind by Noob Saibot's shadow, leaving her vulnerable to attack as Noob drew back his arm and delivered a single punch to the face with enough force to break her entire skull. The shadow holding her from behind followed up with a knee to the lower back assaulting the spine, heart and ribs of the former Empress as Noob himself would end her suffering with a single kick to the stomach.

[Ayen]

Ranko released another surge of demonic energy, just enough of it to destroy the shadow holding her back. When the fist came forward Ranko caught the arm and then pulled back on it, flipping Noob Saibot over her head and onto the ground back first, following up with a hard chop to the throat.

[Garrus Vakarian]

Noob Saibot began coughing hard into his own mask after the hard chop to his throat, his body falling through the ground seconds later as another Noob Saibot kicked Ranko in the side of the head knocking her back and straight into the arms of two other shadows now pulling her underneath the ground.

[Ayen]

The Crimson Devil could feel more pain spread throughout her skull after the damaging kick to the side of her head, knocking her away from where the previous Noob Saibot laid and rolling across the ground before two other Noob Saibots picked her up off the ground and then pulled her down underneath the floor alongside them. A struggle could be heard happening underground, a series of punches and kicks and screams before they finally came back up to the surface. But it was not Ranko's body that was spat back up like it was garbage. Instead both Noob Saibots shot out of the ground and landed on the floor unconscious as Ranko emerged out victorious, entering a defensive stance and beckoning Noob Saibot to come towards her.

[Garrus Vakarian]

A hint of surprise could be seen in his eyes as Ranko was able to rise above two copies of himself after becoming submerged in the ground below their feet. But Noob Saibot did not make any offensive maneuvers towards the Crimson Devil. Instead he remained right where he was and waited.

[Ayen]

The battle has turned into a contest of patience with both participants waiting to see how long they can last to the other. Ranko slowly took a couple of steps to the right, switching her stance and keeping eye contact on the shadow until finally...

The Crimson Devil moved forward.

[Garrus Vakarian]

Noob Saibot didn't budge, he remained perfectly still as he kept his eyes on the Crimson Devil and was perfectly aware of his surroundings. The shadow watched and prepared as Ranko came forward.