Post by Bing Gan on Dec 9, 2016 15:17:10 GMT
A chill wind blew through the open window in Bing’s room. It tickled his nose lightly, causing him to swat at it absent-mindedly in his slumber. He snored heavily, blocking out the sound of the waves outside. It had been a while since he’d gotten a good rest like this. He really ought to try it more often. Though his sleep was peaceful, there was another in the Dojo who was awake before even the sun.
Bing’s father, Tang Gan sat cross-legged in the main room of his large school-home hybrid, eyes shut tight in meditation, pot of tea simmering across from him. The sound of the bubbling water was the only thing distracting him from his sons obnoxious snoring. He took slow, deep breaths, keeping in time with the ever-moving waves of the ocean outside.
-THUMP-
The incredibly loud sound startled the aging Serpent Master, causing him to hop up to his feet on instinct. In the process, he’d kicked over his teapot, sending scalding hot water flying into the air. It began to fall back to Earth, headed right for Tang! He held his hand out like a blade, slicing into the water and re-directing its flow to the nearest wall. It sploshed against the wall unceremoniously, causing Tang to sigh in relief. He’d been practicing that one for quite some time, and was honestly a bit surprised he’d pulled it off. His attention turned back to the source of the noise, and he frowned. It was his son; the poor sap had fallen out of his bed.
”BING! GET OVER HERE NOW!”
The sound of a groaning child echoed through the house, followed by a few footsteps. Bing quickly appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes blearily as he leaned against the frame. ”What’s up, Father?”
Tang sighed, marching over to the boy quickly. ”You know what is ‘up’, Bing. You missed your morning meditation--Again! How many times do I have to beat this into your head before you understand how important this is?” Bing stepped back, rubbing the back of his head worriedly. ”I think I get the picture already. Sorry about staying asleep so long. I didn’t get to sleep so early.”
The Serpent Master sighed, motioning for his son to follow him as he walked towards the sandy beach outside. ”One must always keep their life in balance. Sleeping, eating, training; all of it must be kept in check. If your balance is lost, then so too is your strength.” Bing nodded, briskly pacing behind his father as they left the Dojo.
Bing let out a pleased sigh as the cool air hit his face. He loved early mornings, even if he wasn’t always able to wake up for them. He took a deep breath, letting the salty sea air waft into his nostrils, before suddenly feeling a smack to the back of the head. He tumbled to the ground, getting a mouthful of sand for his troubles.
”Bing!” shouted Tang. The Serpent Master stood above Bing, his hand still held up in a knife-strike pose. ”You let your guard down as soon you leave the house?! If I were an assassin, you’d be dead before you could even think about what you want to eat for breakfast!”
Bing groaned, pushing himself out of the sand to sit on his knees. He spit out a massive wad of sand, turning to his dad with an irritated frown on his face. ”C’mon! I know I’m supposed to ‘keep my guard up’ but who’s really gonna come all the way out here to kill me of all people? Not like I did anything to hurt anyone…”
”Thay may be the case, but it never hurts to be prepared. You never know what life is going to throw at you…”
”Bing… Bing… BING!!!”
The shouting of a familiar voice knocked the Grey-Haired Guardian Bing Gan out of his bed, causing him to smash painfully into the wood floor. He pushed off the ground with a groan, rubbing his nose in annoyance. ”Alright,” he growled. ”I just got to sleep. Who wants to wake me up at an hour like--” His eyes traveled upwards, being greeted by a face he hadn’t seen in over two years.
”DAD?!”
Tang chuckled heartily, patting his son on the back as he spoke. ”Hey. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Bing stood up, awestruck. He looked his Father up and down, taking a step back to process what was happening. His Father, Tang Gan, was back to life?! Bing stammered, leaning back on the nightstand next to his bed as he tried his best to squeeze words out of himself
”You’re here… But I… But you…!... I Killed you!”
The Phantom Father chuckled again. ”That you did! The afterlife has some wondrous magic, however.” He tapped a large golden ring floating above his head with his index finger, causing it to shake a bit. ”They let me return to the Living World for just a day. I figured now would be a good time to come back, seeing as you’ve finally started the Serpent School again.”
Although he was starting to understand, Bing was still completely amazed. He never once thought he’d get to see his old man again. The best he could muster was a smile. Tang looked his son over while the boy was still starstruck, raising his brow in confusion. ”Your hair is… Grey? I haven’t been gone that long have I?” Bing shook his head, trying his best to explain. ”N-no! I uh… It’s hard to explain. Majin magic and all that. Gave me a big power boost, though!” The Younger Serpent Master flexed his arm playfully, getting a laugh from his father.
”I can tell that you’ve gotten stronger just by sensing you! I never thought you’d be so powerful…” Tang clasped his son on his shoulders, smiling warmly. ”I was able to watch some of your progress. You’ve fought Super Saiyans and survived! I don’t think I could do that even in a million years.”
Bing smiled back, but was suddenly given an idea. ”Hey… Do you maybe want to spar? You know, for old times sake?” Tang stared at his son, before laughing. ”I thought you’d never ask! Come on, let’s get outside.” The duo quickly made their way to the sandy beach outside, where the crisp, cool sea air blew heavy.
”I must admit I am curious… Why did you return to the island after so many years, son?”
”Simple really. I needed to collect your old scrolls. When I got here though, I laid down in my bed for a while and, well… I guess you know what happened after that.”
Tang nodded, falling into the Serpent Style stance as he spoke. ”Fair enough. Whenever you’re ready, we can begin.”
Bing nearly slipped into the stance as well, but suddenly stopped. ”Wait! I’ve got something we can use! Hold on a second…” He slipped a leather pouch off of his belt, and began rummaging through it. After a few moments, he plucked out a twin set of red gems, and clicked the center of them. Suddenly, a large strip of metal extended out of the both of them, increasing in length, before suddenly slackening. He tossed one to Tang, before strapping the one in his hands around his waist. ”Gravity Belts. Lets you fight under heavier pressure. Really good for training.”
Tang stared at the belt in confusion, before simply shrugging and snapping the belt around his waist. ”Very interesting… Did you invent this?” Bing shook his head. ”Nah. A friend of mine did. His names Vi-Poi.” Tang let out an “aha” as he fiddled with the controls of the belt. ”I think I remember him. He fought that crazy Saiyan in West City a long time ago..”
As the two belts activated, they could both feel their bodies weigh down heavily. Tang groaned under the pressure, but it seemed Bing was handling it well enough. ”Alright,” said Tang through strained breaths. ”Let’s get started!”
With a flash of Ki, Tang sped forwards, fist aimed right for Bing’s jaw. He was able to parry the strike easily, repaying his Father’s efforts with a quick jab to the gut. Tang let out a grunt of pain, but that wasn’t the only pain he’d be receiving today. Bing continued his attack, letting loose a barrage of jabs in rapid succession. The strikes peppered Tang’s form, each one ringing truer than the last. Bing shot his knee towards his father’s gut, but before the limb could reach him, the Former Serpent Master backflipped away, landing a fair distance from his son.
Not wanting to waste a single moment, Tang went on the offensive yet again. Two thick orbs of Ki formed in his hands, before he tossed them out towards his son. He formed another set, and another, firing them off rapidly as he advanced. Bing batted them away easily, making sure to deflect the final orb right back at his father. Tang ducked under the orb, dropping to his knees to slide towards his foe. Bing quickly hopped into the air, just narrowly avoiding the speeding bullet that was Tang’s form.
”You’re faster than I remembered!” said Bing playfully as his feet hit the ground. ”You been practicing that one?”
Tang took to a stand, another orb of Ki forming in his hand as his aura burned to life. ”As a matter of fact, I have. I’ve been practicing something else, as well.”
The orb of Ki in Tang’s hand suddenly increased in size rapidly, ballooning to incredible size! The Former Serpent Master lifted the massive orb over his head, his body ascending into the sky above his opponent. Bing took a step back, his own Ki rising in response. Looks like pops was about to release something immense.
”I hope you don’t mind, but I based this off of your Twin Fangs attack. Behold! The GREEN MAMBA!”
Suddenly, the massive orb popped, and an army of spiked Ki beams hovered in the sky above Tang. With a swift swing of his arm, he aimed the armada of energy to shoot towards his son, and they obliged. The beams of energy shot through the sky, rocketing towards Bing with immense power!
Acting quickly, Bing shot his hands out to the side. Releasing his Ki outwards, the energy solidified into a translucent Ki Barrier. The attacks smashed into his barrier, denting and cracking it ever-so slightly with each impact. Bing began to sweat. He had no idea his Father had gotten so strong! Eventually, the barrage died down, with the barrier having completely shattered. Bing panted heavily. His body was covered in cuts, and his cloak was torn, but he was able to laugh most of the pain off.
”Not bad, Father. I think I’ll need to come up with something to match the intensity of that attack!”
Tang smirked, descending to the beach below, landing across from his son. ”I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Bing’s Ki exploded outwards once more, as the Younger Serpent Master charged at his former tutor. He thrust his fist towards, but his Father was quicker. Tang easily sidestepped the attack, retaliating with a knee to Bing’s chin. Bing staggered backwards, but quickly regained his composure, coming in for a quick barrage of jabs. Sadly, that too was avoided. Bing took a step back, confused. Where did he suddenly get so much speed?
”I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna take this seriously now.” Tang said in a cocky tone.
Bing ignored his father's words, coming in to deliver a barrage of kicks. Tang laughed, hopping out of the way with ease. The Young Serpent Master hmphed, raising his hand as an orb of Emerald Ki formed in its Palm. ”Python Bomber!” Bing flung the attack at Tang; a direct hit! The resulting explosion caused smoke to plume upwards, obscuring Bing’s vision. He took slow, heavy breaths as he awaited his father's next move.
”Come on! You need to do better than that!” Tang’s voice came from behind. The Older Serpent Master had avoided his attack outright! Bing grunted in annoyance. ”This is getting serious. I need to find a way to keep up with him…But how?”
Without warning, Tang suddenly went on the offensive! He dashed towards his son, a series of fists flying toward Bing’s chest. Bing kept up as best of a defense as he could; matching each oncoming attack with one of his own. But for every attack Bing deflected, Tang landed two more. Eventually, Bing was pushed back, smashing into a large palm tree that swayed near the dojo. His collision caused a coconut to disconnect from the top of the tree, falling onto his cranium comically. He rubbed his head in annoyance, as he slowly stood up again.
”I need to use something that will take him off-guard… He's the one who invented the Hyper Viper, so I can't use that on him… Unless…”
Bing raised his right arm up, a smirk present on his face as he stared his Father down. ”I’ve got your number now, Pops!” An orb of crackling Ki formed in his raised hand, dancing around his palm wildly. Not wanting to lose the orb before it was ready, Bing gripped his right wrist with his opposite hand, bracing the charging ball of energy with a bit more stability. The ball slowly increased in power, the instability of it fading as time went on. When the orb was ready, he pulled his arm back, chuckling playfully.
”I think you'll like this one… BOOMSLANG!”
Bing tossed the orb forwards, allowing it to rip through the air like a bullet! Tang gasped in surprise as the attack barreled toward him. When it made contact, instead of exploding, it simply phased right through him! The Former Serpent Master’s visage re-appeared a few moments later, disappointment on his face. ”You thought that would be good enough? It was fast, but nothing to be worried about.”
Before Tang could attack again, Bing pointed his fingers at him. He stared, confused, before the realization suddenly hit him. Bing’s Ki ball doubled back before it had passed over the water, attempting to ram right into Tang’s back! It smashed into him perfectly again, but like last time, Tang was simply too fast. He re-appeared a second time, this time breathing raggedly. ”Not… Too bad. Still though… It's something I've already developed. You can't beat me with my own tricks.”
Instead of turning to despair like Tang had expected, Bing’s smirk persisted. ”Oh trust me, this one isn't your trick.” He pointed his free hand upwards, and surprisingly, the orb from before was there! Tang gasped in shock, before the attack bore down on him. With no energy left, the Former Serpent Master was an easy target. The attack collided with Tang’s chest, exploding spectacularly. The wind whipped around from the force of the explosion, causing the calm waters to push out small waves.
As the smoke cleared, it was revealed Tang was still standing. Wounded, but standing. He coughed, giving his son a thumbs up as he trudged over to him. ”Well done! A wild technique like that makes you truly worthy of the title Serpent Master.” He laughed heartily, but stopped mid laugh to grasp at his ribs. ”Ouch! Looks like I'm not as durable as I was in Otherworld.”
Bing smiled at his father. He hugged the man tightly, causing him to let out a small squeak of pain. ”Father… Thank you for giving me this chance to prove myself again. I promise I will uphold the honor of the Serpent School for my entire life.” Bing relinquished his grip, and Tang laughed again.
”You were always worthy. I just needed to make sure you weren't slacking.”
The two of them sat down at the edge of the beach, simply watching the waters for a bit. It was calming to have his father beside him after all this time. He wished he could stay longer. Just as he thought this, it seemed Tang’s physical form was losing its link to the living realm. His body began to vanish slowly, causing Bing to panic just a bit.
”It's alright! I'm just returning to the Afterlife! I didn't realize how much time I'd wasted seeing old friends before I came here.” Bing sighed, a mixture of relief and dejection. ”It was good to see you again. Maybe next time you get one of these Day Passes you can meet my wife and daughter.” Tang nodded, smiling. ”I'd quite like that.”
As Tang’s body had nearly vanished, Bing quickly asked one final question. ”Father, wait! How was it that you were able to move so quickly at the end of our spar?!”
”Hm? Oh. Simple. I took off the Gravity Belt.” Tang pointed his thumb behind him, aiming at a nearby rock. Hung around the base of the rock, covered by sand, was the belt Tang was wearing earlier. Bing turned, laughing. ”Of course you did.”
In the next moment, Tang was gone.
Bing sat at the edge of the beach for a little longer. Watching the waves.
Bing’s father, Tang Gan sat cross-legged in the main room of his large school-home hybrid, eyes shut tight in meditation, pot of tea simmering across from him. The sound of the bubbling water was the only thing distracting him from his sons obnoxious snoring. He took slow, deep breaths, keeping in time with the ever-moving waves of the ocean outside.
-THUMP-
The incredibly loud sound startled the aging Serpent Master, causing him to hop up to his feet on instinct. In the process, he’d kicked over his teapot, sending scalding hot water flying into the air. It began to fall back to Earth, headed right for Tang! He held his hand out like a blade, slicing into the water and re-directing its flow to the nearest wall. It sploshed against the wall unceremoniously, causing Tang to sigh in relief. He’d been practicing that one for quite some time, and was honestly a bit surprised he’d pulled it off. His attention turned back to the source of the noise, and he frowned. It was his son; the poor sap had fallen out of his bed.
”BING! GET OVER HERE NOW!”
The sound of a groaning child echoed through the house, followed by a few footsteps. Bing quickly appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes blearily as he leaned against the frame. ”What’s up, Father?”
Tang sighed, marching over to the boy quickly. ”You know what is ‘up’, Bing. You missed your morning meditation--Again! How many times do I have to beat this into your head before you understand how important this is?” Bing stepped back, rubbing the back of his head worriedly. ”I think I get the picture already. Sorry about staying asleep so long. I didn’t get to sleep so early.”
The Serpent Master sighed, motioning for his son to follow him as he walked towards the sandy beach outside. ”One must always keep their life in balance. Sleeping, eating, training; all of it must be kept in check. If your balance is lost, then so too is your strength.” Bing nodded, briskly pacing behind his father as they left the Dojo.
Bing let out a pleased sigh as the cool air hit his face. He loved early mornings, even if he wasn’t always able to wake up for them. He took a deep breath, letting the salty sea air waft into his nostrils, before suddenly feeling a smack to the back of the head. He tumbled to the ground, getting a mouthful of sand for his troubles.
”Bing!” shouted Tang. The Serpent Master stood above Bing, his hand still held up in a knife-strike pose. ”You let your guard down as soon you leave the house?! If I were an assassin, you’d be dead before you could even think about what you want to eat for breakfast!”
Bing groaned, pushing himself out of the sand to sit on his knees. He spit out a massive wad of sand, turning to his dad with an irritated frown on his face. ”C’mon! I know I’m supposed to ‘keep my guard up’ but who’s really gonna come all the way out here to kill me of all people? Not like I did anything to hurt anyone…”
”Thay may be the case, but it never hurts to be prepared. You never know what life is going to throw at you…”
”Bing… Bing… BING!!!”
The shouting of a familiar voice knocked the Grey-Haired Guardian Bing Gan out of his bed, causing him to smash painfully into the wood floor. He pushed off the ground with a groan, rubbing his nose in annoyance. ”Alright,” he growled. ”I just got to sleep. Who wants to wake me up at an hour like--” His eyes traveled upwards, being greeted by a face he hadn’t seen in over two years.
”DAD?!”
Tang chuckled heartily, patting his son on the back as he spoke. ”Hey. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Bing stood up, awestruck. He looked his Father up and down, taking a step back to process what was happening. His Father, Tang Gan, was back to life?! Bing stammered, leaning back on the nightstand next to his bed as he tried his best to squeeze words out of himself
”You’re here… But I… But you…!... I Killed you!”
The Phantom Father chuckled again. ”That you did! The afterlife has some wondrous magic, however.” He tapped a large golden ring floating above his head with his index finger, causing it to shake a bit. ”They let me return to the Living World for just a day. I figured now would be a good time to come back, seeing as you’ve finally started the Serpent School again.”
Although he was starting to understand, Bing was still completely amazed. He never once thought he’d get to see his old man again. The best he could muster was a smile. Tang looked his son over while the boy was still starstruck, raising his brow in confusion. ”Your hair is… Grey? I haven’t been gone that long have I?” Bing shook his head, trying his best to explain. ”N-no! I uh… It’s hard to explain. Majin magic and all that. Gave me a big power boost, though!” The Younger Serpent Master flexed his arm playfully, getting a laugh from his father.
”I can tell that you’ve gotten stronger just by sensing you! I never thought you’d be so powerful…” Tang clasped his son on his shoulders, smiling warmly. ”I was able to watch some of your progress. You’ve fought Super Saiyans and survived! I don’t think I could do that even in a million years.”
Bing smiled back, but was suddenly given an idea. ”Hey… Do you maybe want to spar? You know, for old times sake?” Tang stared at his son, before laughing. ”I thought you’d never ask! Come on, let’s get outside.” The duo quickly made their way to the sandy beach outside, where the crisp, cool sea air blew heavy.
”I must admit I am curious… Why did you return to the island after so many years, son?”
”Simple really. I needed to collect your old scrolls. When I got here though, I laid down in my bed for a while and, well… I guess you know what happened after that.”
Tang nodded, falling into the Serpent Style stance as he spoke. ”Fair enough. Whenever you’re ready, we can begin.”
Bing nearly slipped into the stance as well, but suddenly stopped. ”Wait! I’ve got something we can use! Hold on a second…” He slipped a leather pouch off of his belt, and began rummaging through it. After a few moments, he plucked out a twin set of red gems, and clicked the center of them. Suddenly, a large strip of metal extended out of the both of them, increasing in length, before suddenly slackening. He tossed one to Tang, before strapping the one in his hands around his waist. ”Gravity Belts. Lets you fight under heavier pressure. Really good for training.”
Tang stared at the belt in confusion, before simply shrugging and snapping the belt around his waist. ”Very interesting… Did you invent this?” Bing shook his head. ”Nah. A friend of mine did. His names Vi-Poi.” Tang let out an “aha” as he fiddled with the controls of the belt. ”I think I remember him. He fought that crazy Saiyan in West City a long time ago..”
As the two belts activated, they could both feel their bodies weigh down heavily. Tang groaned under the pressure, but it seemed Bing was handling it well enough. ”Alright,” said Tang through strained breaths. ”Let’s get started!”
With a flash of Ki, Tang sped forwards, fist aimed right for Bing’s jaw. He was able to parry the strike easily, repaying his Father’s efforts with a quick jab to the gut. Tang let out a grunt of pain, but that wasn’t the only pain he’d be receiving today. Bing continued his attack, letting loose a barrage of jabs in rapid succession. The strikes peppered Tang’s form, each one ringing truer than the last. Bing shot his knee towards his father’s gut, but before the limb could reach him, the Former Serpent Master backflipped away, landing a fair distance from his son.
Not wanting to waste a single moment, Tang went on the offensive yet again. Two thick orbs of Ki formed in his hands, before he tossed them out towards his son. He formed another set, and another, firing them off rapidly as he advanced. Bing batted them away easily, making sure to deflect the final orb right back at his father. Tang ducked under the orb, dropping to his knees to slide towards his foe. Bing quickly hopped into the air, just narrowly avoiding the speeding bullet that was Tang’s form.
”You’re faster than I remembered!” said Bing playfully as his feet hit the ground. ”You been practicing that one?”
Tang took to a stand, another orb of Ki forming in his hand as his aura burned to life. ”As a matter of fact, I have. I’ve been practicing something else, as well.”
The orb of Ki in Tang’s hand suddenly increased in size rapidly, ballooning to incredible size! The Former Serpent Master lifted the massive orb over his head, his body ascending into the sky above his opponent. Bing took a step back, his own Ki rising in response. Looks like pops was about to release something immense.
”I hope you don’t mind, but I based this off of your Twin Fangs attack. Behold! The GREEN MAMBA!”
Suddenly, the massive orb popped, and an army of spiked Ki beams hovered in the sky above Tang. With a swift swing of his arm, he aimed the armada of energy to shoot towards his son, and they obliged. The beams of energy shot through the sky, rocketing towards Bing with immense power!
Acting quickly, Bing shot his hands out to the side. Releasing his Ki outwards, the energy solidified into a translucent Ki Barrier. The attacks smashed into his barrier, denting and cracking it ever-so slightly with each impact. Bing began to sweat. He had no idea his Father had gotten so strong! Eventually, the barrage died down, with the barrier having completely shattered. Bing panted heavily. His body was covered in cuts, and his cloak was torn, but he was able to laugh most of the pain off.
”Not bad, Father. I think I’ll need to come up with something to match the intensity of that attack!”
Tang smirked, descending to the beach below, landing across from his son. ”I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Bing’s Ki exploded outwards once more, as the Younger Serpent Master charged at his former tutor. He thrust his fist towards, but his Father was quicker. Tang easily sidestepped the attack, retaliating with a knee to Bing’s chin. Bing staggered backwards, but quickly regained his composure, coming in for a quick barrage of jabs. Sadly, that too was avoided. Bing took a step back, confused. Where did he suddenly get so much speed?
”I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna take this seriously now.” Tang said in a cocky tone.
Bing ignored his father's words, coming in to deliver a barrage of kicks. Tang laughed, hopping out of the way with ease. The Young Serpent Master hmphed, raising his hand as an orb of Emerald Ki formed in its Palm. ”Python Bomber!” Bing flung the attack at Tang; a direct hit! The resulting explosion caused smoke to plume upwards, obscuring Bing’s vision. He took slow, heavy breaths as he awaited his father's next move.
”Come on! You need to do better than that!” Tang’s voice came from behind. The Older Serpent Master had avoided his attack outright! Bing grunted in annoyance. ”This is getting serious. I need to find a way to keep up with him…But how?”
Without warning, Tang suddenly went on the offensive! He dashed towards his son, a series of fists flying toward Bing’s chest. Bing kept up as best of a defense as he could; matching each oncoming attack with one of his own. But for every attack Bing deflected, Tang landed two more. Eventually, Bing was pushed back, smashing into a large palm tree that swayed near the dojo. His collision caused a coconut to disconnect from the top of the tree, falling onto his cranium comically. He rubbed his head in annoyance, as he slowly stood up again.
”I need to use something that will take him off-guard… He's the one who invented the Hyper Viper, so I can't use that on him… Unless…”
Bing raised his right arm up, a smirk present on his face as he stared his Father down. ”I’ve got your number now, Pops!” An orb of crackling Ki formed in his raised hand, dancing around his palm wildly. Not wanting to lose the orb before it was ready, Bing gripped his right wrist with his opposite hand, bracing the charging ball of energy with a bit more stability. The ball slowly increased in power, the instability of it fading as time went on. When the orb was ready, he pulled his arm back, chuckling playfully.
”I think you'll like this one… BOOMSLANG!”
Bing tossed the orb forwards, allowing it to rip through the air like a bullet! Tang gasped in surprise as the attack barreled toward him. When it made contact, instead of exploding, it simply phased right through him! The Former Serpent Master’s visage re-appeared a few moments later, disappointment on his face. ”You thought that would be good enough? It was fast, but nothing to be worried about.”
Before Tang could attack again, Bing pointed his fingers at him. He stared, confused, before the realization suddenly hit him. Bing’s Ki ball doubled back before it had passed over the water, attempting to ram right into Tang’s back! It smashed into him perfectly again, but like last time, Tang was simply too fast. He re-appeared a second time, this time breathing raggedly. ”Not… Too bad. Still though… It's something I've already developed. You can't beat me with my own tricks.”
Instead of turning to despair like Tang had expected, Bing’s smirk persisted. ”Oh trust me, this one isn't your trick.” He pointed his free hand upwards, and surprisingly, the orb from before was there! Tang gasped in shock, before the attack bore down on him. With no energy left, the Former Serpent Master was an easy target. The attack collided with Tang’s chest, exploding spectacularly. The wind whipped around from the force of the explosion, causing the calm waters to push out small waves.
As the smoke cleared, it was revealed Tang was still standing. Wounded, but standing. He coughed, giving his son a thumbs up as he trudged over to him. ”Well done! A wild technique like that makes you truly worthy of the title Serpent Master.” He laughed heartily, but stopped mid laugh to grasp at his ribs. ”Ouch! Looks like I'm not as durable as I was in Otherworld.”
Bing smiled at his father. He hugged the man tightly, causing him to let out a small squeak of pain. ”Father… Thank you for giving me this chance to prove myself again. I promise I will uphold the honor of the Serpent School for my entire life.” Bing relinquished his grip, and Tang laughed again.
”You were always worthy. I just needed to make sure you weren't slacking.”
The two of them sat down at the edge of the beach, simply watching the waters for a bit. It was calming to have his father beside him after all this time. He wished he could stay longer. Just as he thought this, it seemed Tang’s physical form was losing its link to the living realm. His body began to vanish slowly, causing Bing to panic just a bit.
”It's alright! I'm just returning to the Afterlife! I didn't realize how much time I'd wasted seeing old friends before I came here.” Bing sighed, a mixture of relief and dejection. ”It was good to see you again. Maybe next time you get one of these Day Passes you can meet my wife and daughter.” Tang nodded, smiling. ”I'd quite like that.”
As Tang’s body had nearly vanished, Bing quickly asked one final question. ”Father, wait! How was it that you were able to move so quickly at the end of our spar?!”
”Hm? Oh. Simple. I took off the Gravity Belt.” Tang pointed his thumb behind him, aiming at a nearby rock. Hung around the base of the rock, covered by sand, was the belt Tang was wearing earlier. Bing turned, laughing. ”Of course you did.”
In the next moment, Tang was gone.
Bing sat at the edge of the beach for a little longer. Watching the waves.