His pale skin was striped black, scorched by gods when he journeyed the Earth long ago. It was his education, his rite of passage. Tattooed into his flesh by lightning and cooled in rain... In my youth, I dared to challenge him. I thought it was fun and game, a perfect opportunity to make my name as a champion. How wrong I was. How wrong I was... I remember the war between the brothers. Mirror images, they fought within the flickering flame itself. Abel fought well, but his brother was always stronger... Always... You would be mistaken, to think this Spirit of Vengeance could be a tool in your war. Yea, he may help you at first, but he will not discriminate. He will not stop. He will not go back in the bottle so easily. Is it really worth it?... What makes you think he will even come? It has been many years since he was seen, or heard. The highway to hell is long! Do you think he'd really walk it for you ? Even Marz would struggle to pull that off!... It was nine years, in August, that it all started for me, but I suppose it's been longer than that. Maybe he knows. Maybe he really is coming back... I am The Nomad. I warn you.Kron's ultimate trump card against the Baron of War is unleashed as The Spirit of Vengeance comes to The Great Arena! Kron can't afford to be distracted, though, as he fends off the challenge of War's disciple, ElJobber! Challengers will be in abundance at Supercard 13 as Ratt takes a second shot at ending the record setting reign of "The Unstoppable" Cr0w, while The_Purple_Bunny & Blaze do their best to unthrone the charmed combination of Hokey & Ninja_Mime! All this -- plus fierce feuds and a sixteen-person contender battle royale!
12. Ratt d. Cr0w (c) in a streak-ending +17 destruction of the Champion!
With a streak of twenty-five straight wins that include two tournament victories and seven championship defenses: "The Unstoppable" Cr0w has established himself as more than simply an Undisputed Champion! Representing the ultimate challenge in The Great Arena, his reign has taken on mythic proportions, inviting the brave and the bold of the fighting ranks to earn their right to challenge and break the streak! Ratt is a contender who has been there before, not just in a failed attempt to defeat the champion (Supercard 8), but as the title holder who surrendered the belt to Cr0w early in his terrific reign of terror, the result of victory at Tournament 5: War for the Kr0wn. That win itself was the follow on to yet another earlier encounter, where Ratt defeated Cr0w in their first encounter, to rise through the Tower of Power to become Undisputed Champion for the first time.
Even with this impressive recent record against Ratt -- to say nothing of a string of victories that included a punishing defense against The_Purple_Bunny at Supercard 12 -- "The Unstoppable" Cr0w has been far from over confident. Where reluctance and tension have been evident in the past, the Champion has this time virtually prophecized his own doom, a fact well elaborated upon in championship previews. Would this be part of an elaborate tactic to unshake the "Iron Man" Ratt, or would the undying spirit of the former-champion continue the trend of change that saw Hokey & Ninja_Mime lose their Duo Division titles, while Ares Menschlich was unstuck by Lucifer?
Night of the Barons delivered Cr0w his most dominant victory as champion, but just as SC12 had suddenly arranged everything in its right place, Supercard 13 would see that it all fell apart! As if to fulfill Cr0w's most grim expectations, his strength appeared sapped, the dream run at a heartbreakingly empty end. Ratt was in fine form for his big shot, but it was like a lamb to the slaughter. Seemingly spent, Cr0w crumbled before a shocking +17 decimation, not quite equal, but completely opposite to his last white hot defense. Cr0w's place in history is assured. His domination over the Undisputed Championship took it to a prestigious new level, adding a layer of intrigue unlikely to be soon rivaled. Victorious over Tournament 5 and Tournament 8 during his twenty-five fight win streak, Cr0w earns a place on record that may never be toppled. Of course, history will now remember Ratt as the man who broke the streak! A feat befitting of this "Iron Man," whose never-say-die attitude embodies the spirit to rise to these challenges, no matter how overwhelming they may be.
11. Mimik (#12) d. m0s (#13) to win the 16-person Battle Royale [26:05].
While Ares Menschlich offered a shortcut to the Undisputed Championship in the form of his lethal lottery, a sixteen-person Battle Royal would be the legitimate ticket toward top contender status! A rare opportunity, sixteen intertwined opponents were selected throughout the week, one of those being Tyrant-Cenobite, who was surprisingly absent from the final list in a repeat of the Supercard 4 incident that he famously accused ElJobber of perpetrating.
For the fighters who arrived through a random draw as expected, it was to be a fast paced contender brawl! TonyTheTiger (#1) had a hard slog of it, the unlucky fighter who drew #1, but managed to fight his way through the field with an impressive four eliminations in a twenty-five minute stint, taking him as far as the final three! Ken (#6) ran a respectable fifteen minutes, dominating old Battle Royal opponent STEROLIZER (#7) in his return to an embarassing forty-four second appearance. Toryn (#9) would do even better, however, lasting barely a single second, taken out of the battle as quickly as he appeared by DECEPTION (#4).
Porygonix (#14) was a surprise feature of the final four, nudging out Ghostdragon (#16) in a twist of fate. "Mr. Daruma" m0s (#13) would do his best as the last man standing against Mimik (#12), but Mimik's impressive charge through the ranks -- following his solitary "chosen" victory against Praga Conquette at Supercard 12: Night of the Barons -- continues unabated! As the new #1 contender, Mimik will ironically forego a clash with Baroness of Pestilence, Conquette, instead reserved a possible Championship match if he can beat the winner of Ares Menschlich's lottery!
| Entry #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 | Fighter TonyTheTiger Jammer2Omega GreenLantern DECEPTION SlumDunk Ken STEROLIZER Pink_Ranger Toryn DeathScepter plfx Mimik m0s Porygonix CaTigeReptile Ghostdragon | Elim. #14 #1 #2 #6 #3 #9 #4 #7 #5 #10 #8 -- #15 #13 #11 #12 | Eliminator Mimik TonyTheTiger TonyTheTiger TonyTheTiger Ken Mimik Ken TonyTheTiger DECEPTION Mimik DeathScepter WINNER Mimik m0s Porygonix Porygonix | Enter Time [07:20:05] [07:20:10] [07:21:35] [07:23:06] [07:24:36] [07:26:06] [07:27:36] [07:29:07] [07:30:37] [07:32:07] [07:33:37] [07:35:08] [07:36:38] [07:38:08] [07:39:38] [07:41:09] | Exit Time [07:45:37] [07:23:30] [07:25:24] [07:34:53] [07:26:51] [07:41:17] [07:28:20] [07:36:04] [07:30:37] [07:41:34] [07:38:35] [07:46:10] [07:46:10] [07:44:12] [07:42:54] [07:43:44] |
10. Michael Lucifer d. Ares Menschlich in a +4 decimation!
As the Baron of War, Ares Menschlich has gone mostly unchallenged in his occasional outings. Having famously opted to forfeit out of his Tournament 1 (in time for the finals) due to lack of competition, he has gone unopposed in The Great Arena, suffering only one or two rare defeats outside it. A major proponent in the proliferation of combat as a means of finding peace in a post-invasion Cheevment Kingdom -- Menschlich has walked a fine line between administrator and enemy of the people of The Union of The Human League. His claim that there are no friends within the fighting ranks sparked antagonism for its justification for his manipulation of the league, which brought about the split of Supercard 6, and led to the brief exile of many fighters. Second only to Lord Mislukking, the Baron of War has earned the vengeance of many, not the least of which was Kron, who learnt the truth during his time in the realm beyond.
Once, Michael Lucifer had been much like Ares Menschlich. Covetting the purity of combat, Lucifer reigned over his own arena of fighting, many years ago. His story stretches deep into the past, with tales of a baptism by lightning, feuds with other forgotten warriors of the past, and a reign as champion as dominant as Cr0w's. A monolithic figure who grew weary with the endless cycle of violence he attracted, he disappeared for years, fading like dust in the wind, a forgotten spirit of vengeance. Discovered to have become a reclusive member of the 7 Masters, he is compelled to return once more, in the service of vengeance as Kron's ultimate trump card in the battle with the Barons!
Solemn and silent, Michael Lucifer returned. Looking down upon the Baron of War through blackened eyes, the years showed on the face of this tired Spirit of Vengeance. Any prospect of fatigue would rapidly dissipate as the battle between titans began! Ares Menschlich may have amassed significant powers, but against an opponent he knows nothing about, his art of war was for moot. If Kron's intent was to inspire hope through the recruitment of this power, then it was a terrifyingly effective choice. Michael Lucifer exhibited a strength drawn from the ages, powerful enough to threaten even Lord Mislukking, should the time ever arise! The time was now for Ares Menschlich -- and it came with a +4 decimation the likes of which the Baron of War had never seen!
The dirty deed done; Michael Lucifer left in silence, leaving behind the bloodied visage of the Baron of War as a graphic image worth a thousand very loud words. Uncharacteristically shaken, Ares Menschlich announced an almost desperate act! As if to respond to the shock decimation with a 'trump card' of his own, he announced a lethal lottery open to any fighter in The Great Arena! This draw would be a risk/reward lottery for a special October 9 event, intended to prove that the fighting ranks would always take the path of least resistance, condemning their fellows in the quest for glory. His lottery would grant the winner a match against the unofficial #1 contender, with the Undisputed Champion then facing the winner. For those unfortunate enough to miss out on this opportunity, a battle with Praga Conquette would await.
Lucifer is the third renegade member of the 7 Masters to appear in The Great Arena, following in the footsteps of Grandmaster Wah Hung-Shen and Aquilluxborg Hydroxybot! The 7 Masters have remained largely uninvolved since one of their number fell to Lord Mislukking during his rise and conquest. It remains assumed that hostilities with Mislukking extend to their number, but with only three of their order known, it goes without saying that agendas are as mysterious as the identity of their fellows.
9. The_Purple_Bunny & Blaze d. Hokey & Ninja_Mime (c) in a convincing win!
Since winning the Duo Division Championships in July (Pre-Show 9); Hokey & Ninja_Mime have lived a charmed existence. Defeating all challengers who've come before them -- the immensely dominant duo seemed fit to form a win streak comparable to the record setting solo champ, Cr0w! Their own record an impressive 15-1; Hokey & Ninja_Mime have even successfully done away with the one team to take their number, Pink_Ranger & Ghostdragon -- former champions who missed out on a rematch in their contender clash with the challengers, The_Purple_Bunny & Blaze!
Buoyed by The_Purple_Bunny's rapid rise to the top through Tournament 7; the challengers have a unique and brief pedigree that allowed them to leapfrog many of the top duos in the league, emerging as a major threat to the indomitable champs! Barely a month since her debut during Tournament 8: Grand Slam [Singles], Blaze has blazed a trail, setting her up as one of the fastest rising competitors to enter The Great Arena in any capacity! Combining with longtime friend and partner, TPB, Blaze contributes to what is truly one of the most intriguing combos to come about in recent times, destined to go above and beyond their Second Round exit from T9!
They might have paled during Tournament 9: Grand Slam [Doubles] -- an event eventually won by Hokey & Ninja_Mime -- but The_Purple_Bunny & Blaze would not disappoint with the top prize on the line! The stars were aligned for change as TPB & Blaze unleashed a shocking decimation upon their opponents, luck nowhere to be seen for the otherwise impressive Hokey & Ninja_Mime! Against any other combination, the champions would likely have found themselves retaining. TPB & Blaze confirm every suspicion about their potential, wildly powerful with their powers combined, even if the impact of victory kept to the standard, modest single notch! It is the end of an era, but the beginning of an intriguing new chapter for the Duo Division Championships!
8. CCShadow & Scott-Howell d. Murdoink & Baraka_MK in a narrow blockbuster finish!
The story of their collapse began at Tournament 9: Grand Slam [Doubles], but it was Scott-Howell's callous victory over partner Murdoink (at Supercard 12) that confirmed the split of a combination widely considered the original product that gave us the Duo Division. Unable to secure the success expected of them, they collapsed, turning inward during the disappointment of T9. On this Highway to Hell, Howell and Murdoink revealed new partners at Pre-Show 13, seeing victories alongside CCShadow and Baraka_MK, respectively. The confirmation of this new chapter would inevitably bring former allies back into conflict, with the shock twist of a grander plan underlying Howell's betrayal as he teams with old friend and ally, CCShadow. Certain to be part of their sinister machinations -- the Duo Division Championships, sure to be a step closer with a win over Murdoink & BMK!
The two "new" combinations proved to be shockingly closely matched, befitting of the bitter feud! Undeniable was the captained importance of Howell and Murdoink, who lent serious Duo Division credibility to their less tested partners. Baraka_MK pushed his less-than obscure muscle behind the previously defeated Murdoink, but a sinister unity seemed present between CCShadow & Scott-Howell. Against the best wishes of the crowd, it would be they who would capture a big win, edging out their counterparts by the narrowest of margins! What ever the winners' plans might be, it would be clear they would go unchallenged -- for now.
7. ElJobber d. Kron in a massive hard fought battle!
A fighter of immense potential; Kron has taken the task of challenging Ares Menschlich and his fellow Barons in a crusade against overwhelming odds. This war of philosophy has spread beyond the revelation that Menschlich used his occult influence to tear the fighting ranks apart (at Supercard 6), spreading to renewed hostilities between "chosen" members of The Union of The Human League, who put themselves in the firing line to prove there is more at work within the ranks than a primitive self-interested compulsion to fight. Some fighters are happy to reinforce Menschlich's claim that there are no allies in battle. Fighters such as ElJobber, who has taken a razor sharp focus as he pursues a path of maximum impact on the way to the much sought Undisputed Championship.
This indulgence of raw, unfeeling combat pushed ElJobber to meet Kron for the first time ever at Supercard 11: All-Star Summer Showdown! In the service of the Baron of War, ElJobber fell in an exciting but comprehensive win for then-returning Kron. Now, with the battle against War commissioned to a secret warrior known as Michael Lucifer -- Kron is forced to again take up the challenge of the calculated battler -- ElJobber desperate to gain a victory over his newest rival!
The walls of The Great Arena would shake as these two immensely powerful fighters exhibited the near full extent of their abilities! The sequel to their first encounter would be every bit the blockbuster, going a step further than the original as ElJobber made an impressive challenge to the man who bested him in their first outing! Separating the two would be a mammoth task, both incredibly closely matched despite the high level competition! In the end, you might say it was ElJobber who had more to fight for. Going into overtime, the closely matched rivals exploded in a final exchange, with Kron coming up short, despite his incredible efforts. The victory not only secures ElJobber the win he so desired, but ideally positions him for another shot at the covetted Undisputed Championship!
6. Artanix & foahchon d. SubMan799 & Casselman in a close match.
The Duo Division has been electric since the conclusion of the thirty-two team elimination bracket of Tournament 9: Grand Slam [Doubles]! Teams Agaper and Ops might have made for a compelling division unto themselves earlier in the event, but the competition demands a whole lot more than just two factions going at it! SubMan799 & Casselman have shaken off rookie status as their pursuit for Championship gold has developed into a more complete effort to round out their game. Reaching for that level, the pair set their sights on seasoned veterans, Artanix & foahchon, who themselves have taken steps toward immortality and arena glory!
Escalating the quality of duo competition beyond even those earlier performances, these two top teams made their case for greatness! Aspirations would have to wait, however, as SubMan799 & Casselman found themselves up against a team hitting their stride. Artanix & foahchon matched up well, led by an Artanix who has been in rare form since Tournament 7! In a well contested clash, the winners secured a close fought, but decisive result.
5. Bez Busshitsu d. Genku.
With a 3-1 spread against Kron's "chosen" -- the conclusion of Supercard 12: Night of the Barons left a dystopian feeling in the air. Kron would announce his intent to unleash his ultimate trump card, the titular Spirit of Vengeance from another time that would strike in the name of the people, but the marquee comeuppance promised to Ares Menschlich would only stretch so far. For Genku, the battle with the Four Barons has been a long and personal one, stretching back to March when he was driven to throw himself on the sword of Lord Mislukking (outside competition), only to be resurrected as one of his number, a Revenant puppet for the guarded Baron of Death, Sinvida Von Grimm.
An attempt at payback resulted in punishing rebuttal as Genku once again came face-to-face with the wicked Baron of Death, a cold and unfeeling monster with the power to decimate even the strongest in the League. This powerful defeat at Supercard 12: Night of the Barons left Genku defeated, but relatively unscathed and burning with the desire to fight back against these tyrants who've ruled the Cheevment Kingdom with intimidation and terror. Genku, though a member of Kron's chosen, would subscribe to no philosophy of selflessness. His motivation would be pure and simple and honest, a rage that would resort to a challenge against any of their number, if it meant a pound of flesh!
Going up against Bez Busshitsu, the first Baron (of Famine); Genku hoped to get some payback against an unwanted former partner, while also improving his chances at an all important victory. It is said that Busshitsu is the weakest of Mislukking's Horsemen, but alas, the once frail and feeble fiend has fed to the gills on the nutrition of others. Ballooned to new strengths, Famine is now a formiddable foe, and he demonstrated it with pleasure against a mid-strength Genku!
The Baron of Famine flicked and flecked at his opponent, doing a fine impression of a fighter in control of the fight, even though he had to fight for every inch. It seemed the fight with Death had taken something out of Genku, but even so, he was against able to mount a defense that would allow Bez Busshitsu nothing to boast in the conclusion of his victory. Genku may have lost the fight, but he would walk away from the fight far from defeated.
4. ZachAngel & Angelia d. Leroy & Mark in a close match.
With the stakes all tied up, it would be up to the leaders of the two groups to resolve what has become a major feud within the ranks of The Union of The Human League. Opposites destined to find each other in the battlefield as if by the will of fate itself; these members of Team Agaper and Team Ops have already gone head-to-head on several occasions prior! As recent as Pre-Show 13, ZachAngel struck a decisive blow against Leroy, fighting back to rectify a duo loss witness at Supercard 12! Before that, it was Supercard 11: All-Star Summer Showdown, where victory also went the way of Mark and Leroy, against ZachAngel and Angelia. After so many battles, after such a long feud, with their fellows becoming wrapped up in an ever expanding rivalry, could this truly be the end? The final note struck from something somehow related, but never identifiable as a Spirit of Vengeance?
Stepping up the fray to a level ever so slightly higher than even the previous encounter -- the captaining teams of Team Agaper and Team Ops took the fight to its logical conclusion! At the apex of their representing teams, the combinations elevated their game beyond anything known of them. It was hard, it was fast, it wasn an intense and bitter battle of inches, each fought for furiously. With the scoreboard even at 1-1, it was the Agaper faithful, ZachAngel & Angelia, who found a second wind, a divine boost in the dying moments of overtime. Hard fought, but even more convincing than their precursors, ZachAngel & Angelia sent the winning blow echoing throughout the arena. 2-1 would be the final countdown to Team Agaper -- a hard fought, oh so close victory for an emerging force within the fighting ranks!
3. Politics & Menas d. Celeste & ScottK in a narrow conclusion.
Moving up the chain from their Supercard 13 predecessors; the combinations of Team Agaper's Politics & Menas and Team Ops' Celeste & ScottK proposed a different class, all together. With a tour in The Great Arena that included appearances by both teams in Tournament 9: Grand Slam [Doubles] -- the action promised to be far more complex, and steeped in experience and skill, than anything their teammates displayed earlier on. Given their history in a near-draw encounter at Pre-Show 12, the rematch had blockbuster potential all over it!
Indeed, both teams showed why they're a cut above their predecessors! As if spurred on by the bitter rivalry boiling between both groups, the duos exhibited a stainless steal cleanliness in their approach that went beyond anything expected based on their previous encounter! Both teams looked good, but it was Politics & Menas who showed signs of cashing in on the potential that had been brewing in their previous outings! Their combination would not only produce a ever so slightly more convincing win over their Team Ops opponents, this time, but also send a jolt of electricity through their hopes to become Duo Division Champions any time in the future! 1-1 in this inadvertent series!
2. Hidin & Learn d. MinnyBean & rxvt in a narrow conclusion.
Competition between the ranks of Team Agaper and Team Ops has been a feature of several Supercard and Pre-Show events for some months. Tensions between the two factions appeared to arise out of nowhere, but the chemical differences between the fighting faithful and their administrative counterparts have seen fit to unfold one of the biggest wars The Great Arena has ever seen! Escalation would deliver three Duo Division battles to Supercard 13 as ZachAngel and Leroy & Mark pilotted their respective groups into the first all-out assault against one another!
Representing the less tested of the bunch, Hidin & Learn looked like easy pickings for MinnyBean & rxvt, even in spite of MB's relative inexperience and a long history of defeats suffered by rxvt. It was those defeats that may have very well taken a toll on the combination, ambushed by the freshness of the Team Ops assault! Hidin & Learn fought beyond their weightclass, executing with a clean efficiency that left the faithful searching for answers from above. First blood would go to Team Ops, a 1-0 lead in their inadvertent best-of-three scenario.
1. SmokeRulz d. DaMo & xtactics in a gruelling 3way.
?He's been making a name for himself as a specialist of the three-way match type, but against a couple of seasoned pros like DaMo and xtactics, could a fighter as fresh as SmokeRulz expect to exert any kind of experienced-based dominance? That was the test in the Vengeance opener, which saw the trio in an exhibition bout with its own pattern of intrigue to play out. Afterall; three-way combat has begun to emerge as something of an artform, demanding a dimension of additional depth to standard one-on-one battles. Strategies that see a single party isolated in the early stages mean there is a lot to consider in any one encounter -- and that would absolutely be true here!
A top ranking competitor who sometimes sneaks under the radar -- DaMo seized on an early opportunity as xtactics began to emerge as the weak link. SmokeRulz progressed with an air of confidence, afforded time to strategize while DaMo took xtactics out of the equation. The move clearly energized DaMo, but it was still SmokeRulz who managed to fend off any signs of fatigue, increasing his own powers to a degree that left DaMo the loser in a fast-paced war of attrition. Another valuable win for the three-way king!
Unofficial Rankings Update:
It was to be a night of vengeance, but instead, it was a night of change!
The dominant and unchallenged would finally be toppled as The Great Arena seemed to shed its skin in a single, dramatic shake! The_Purple_Bunny recovers well from his punishing rejection from the Undisputed Championship, picking up a fine consolation with Blaze in the form of the Duo Division Championships. Their victory set the tone for the event, unseating the seemingly unstoppable combo of Hokey and Ninja_Mime, who don't look likely to suffer too much for their loss -- still in the hunt for solo glory in a now uncertain picture.
It goes without saying that Ratt's defeat of Cr0w has completely rewritten the domain of the possible, returning an element of unpredictability to a championship field in danger of becoming stale. Cr0w will assume his place in history, while fighters keen to take their shot do so with renewed energy! After fighting his way from a generous entry point to take out the Battle Royal, Mimik is a well deserved number one contender. TonyTheTiger, the other Battle Royal competitor to make a case for himself, continuing a similar ascension that has seen TTT become one of the top predators of The Great Arena! He's positioning himself well for a future assault, but nobody is as hot as Mimik right now! Nobody!...
... Except maybe ElJobber has kept himself in the hunt for the Undisputed Championship, and after picking up an impressive victory against Kron, lurks right on the periphery heading toward Ares Menschlich's special "Feast or Famine" event. Menschlich was, of course, another one of the dominants toppled, worthy of note even if it was one non-Union fighter taking down another.
Champion: RattAt the behest of Ares Menschlich the game changes in unexpected ways!
#1 Mimik
#2 ElJobber
#3 Cr0w
#4 The_Purple_Bunny
#5 Hokey
#6 Ninja_Mime
#7 TonyTheTiger
#8 Genku
#9 Kron
#10 Ken
Intent on proving the lowest truths about the fighting ranks, October 9 will unveil the fighters who submitted to a "lethal lottery" for a chance to compete for the Undisputed Championship! Feast or Famine will be the special event, where one lucky winner will face Mimik for the right to challenge "The Iron Man" Ratt for the Undisputed Championship -- while the rest suffer for their avarice at the hands of the disease spreading Praga Conquette -- Baroness of Pestilence!
Then the winners face the fallout of Feast or Famine as they countdown to Supercard 14 -- October 23! The action is coming thick and fast as the year begins to count down. PLUS! October 30 promises something dark and disturbing as whispers of the Devil's Night begin to spread!
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