Aika's knife-hand strike plowed into the man's upper chest, where his neck met his torso, and it pushed him backwards, putting him on the ground until his health bar refilled, at which point he came off the floor and viciously attacked Joy, actually managing to land the first hit of the run against the two of them.  It wasn't very strong, though, only dropping a single segment of her own health bar.  "It only took the boss of the gang after he threw a dozen of his own men at us.  I'd say that's not a very good trade ratio."  That appeared to annoy the Tong boss, who changed targets and went at Aika as fast as he could manage.  The Tennin fighter was ready for him, though, and she jabbed the tips of her fingers into the center split of his chest, where his ribs would have come together.<br/><br/>It was close.  Very so.  But she managed to outrun his speed and hit him before he hit her.  As she did, the familiar jet black dark of the Black Serpent surged into him from where her hand made contact with his chest.  The rushing cold of the attack pushed him backwards, away from her, as the technique poisoned his<em>ki</em>.  In addition to that, both of them would be able to see his health bar - as long as both of theirs - slide down two full ticks.  And Joy had yet to make her own move.<br/><br/>As the Mugen made her move, Aika considered her own options.  She could use the same move from before - the Devil Fighter - and if she connected, that would guarantee a Stun, a Beatdown, and his defeat.  On the other hand...her eyes drifted slightly away from where they were fighting.  The Tennin could see that at least a couple of the Jade Fangs were still there, though they seemed to only be watching and not trying to help their boss.  Maybe...they understood that there was no chance the two of them could win?  Joy had already employed the obviously-supernatural power of the Heavenly Storm...<br/><br/>...perhaps it was time that Aika showed she wasn't all high kicks and knife-hand strikes.