CHAPTER 5

  *Hovercar Thoroughfare of Neo Hong Kong*

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  The three Kuniangs kicked simultaneously: Tong Pu from the front, Nam Pu from above, and Sya Pu from behind. All three attacked as they leapt towards Hiryu.

  The Strider jumped towards Tong Pu. He attacked her as he flew past, but the difference between their respective speeds was so great, it was not possible to do so very well.

  He landed on another car. The three people inside grimaced at him beneath the windshield.

  Sya Pu turned towards his new position and aimed a kick at his head.

  Her leg drew a beautiful curved line in the air as she spun, spontaneously generating a plasma wave that divided into three beams and flew along its predetermined vector.

  Nam Pu pounced. She landed on the car Hiryu rode and wasted no time in attacking him. Left leg. Right leg. Spin into lower Kaminaka position. Block. Spin counter clockwise. Follow up with axe kick.

  She attacked the Strider fiercely. Once a plasma wave is dispersed, such as the one Sya Pu fired at Hiryu, it was not possible for the Kuniangs to escape to the heavens.

  Hiryu saw an opening.

  Nam Pu stopped attacking.

  She lightly hopped backwards, putting some distance between herself and the Strider.

  Behind her, the two people riding in the car jumped out of the hovercar and plummeted downward several dozen meters.

  Hiryu chased her relentlessly.

  Tong Pu chose that moment to attack him from behind at super speed. After Sya Pu's plasma wave dissipated, they were able to escape to the air again and make use of their more formidable techniques.

  Hiryu blocked Tong Pu's lunge and hurled her into her sisters. They flew to the edge of a nearby hovercar, regained their footing, and found that they were cornered.

  They lined up, Tong Pu taking point, then Nam Pu, then Sya Pu bringing up the rear. The Kuniangs then simultaneously rushed the Strider.

  Sya Pu jumped, using Nam Pu's shoulder as a launching pad to propel herself even higher into the air. In the moment she alighted on a car nearby, Nam Pu imitated Sya Pu, using Tong Pu's shoulder as her launching pad.

  Tong Pu jumped towards Sya Pu and rebounded off her, preparing to catch Hiryu in a crosscut attack. They did not use the plasma kicks.

  Hiryu did not wait for them to finish preparing their attack.

  Tong Pu decided to use a plasma kick.

  The Strider repelled the attack with a swipe from his cypher, throwing it out to the wind.

  Tong Pu landed on the car where Hiryu stood. She looked at Nam Pu.

  They nodded.

  Tong Pu dropped into a crouch, preparing to leap again.

  Blood soaked the hood of the car where she stood. Hers. She looked up in time to see Hiryu's blurred form pull his cypher out of her back. He placed his foot on her side and pushed her off of his blade. She collapsed on that very spot.