How is this even fair?! This guy is way too strong, like, unfairly strong! I came up with a brand new spell and everything, and then he completely countered me and threw one of my own icicles right back at me! I don't even know how he knew where I was! This is seriously so unfair! I just want to, like, scream out in anger or something! Or punch something! But, I'm not gonna do that! I have standards!
Oh, right, the fight. Okay, so, I don't have to worry about bleeding or anything, so I can just rip the icicle out. Which I do! Tossing it to the side, the thing fading away right after.
Okay, just calm down! Getting all mad and stuff will do me like, no good! I'll just end up getting distracted and losing! So, what can I do now? Well, I'll have you know, I have the perfect plan to beat this guy! I'll first have to--
"Togeshi has been unable to escape for ten seconds! He is now out! Please leave the arena and return to the waiting room!" The announcer yelled out, announcing the defeat of some guy named Togeshi. Maybe that muscular strong looking guy?
Well, that's pretty good! I mean, that's one less person on their team! Now we just need Ai and Quenilla to defeat their person... and me. Maybe they can try and get through the ice? No, no... I never mentioned it, but I modified my freezing spell a bit to add an extra layer of dense mana in order to increase its durability. This strategy works especially well against defending against magic but isn't as good at physical attacks, but still works decently well to increase its physical defence.
But, that's not the point here! Nobody will probably be able to come to help me... the ice is a bit too slippery to climb, too. I can't change the properties of it now, since I already cast it, either.
"He... lost?" The Yuu guy seemed pretty surprised that Togeshi lost, and even more distracted by the fact, looking at the area where he would have fought.
Okay! I can use that! If he's so distracted, I'll attack him now! Using Gust to propel me forward, and Increase on my legs to increase my speed even further. I reach him in an instant, going for an attack with my sword to his arm, just to maybe weaken him, you know?
... but, instead of me making contact with his arm, he deflected the attack with his own sword, a simple straight sword made of some sort of white metal with I think a Mana Core in its hilt.
"Your teammates defeated Togeshi..." He spoke to me, glaring super intensely! It was kind of scary! "They must be strong then... I'll deal with this quickly, then."
Huh? Wait, he seriously just got way faster! And now he's going for a whole bunch of attacks at me! It's all I can do to just defend myself, using Gust and Increase so he doesn't completely overpower me! Did he like, activate those skills that increase his physical capabilities? I mean, it would make sense...
I have no time to think about that!
Wait, no way! While he's still attacking me relentlessly, he's casting a spell!
"Light Magic: Light Spears." Appearing behind him once again was several spear-like structures made of concentrated light.
I jumped back so I could focus on dodging the light spears, but he closed the distance before I could even reach the ground.
Wait, this is really bad. I can't move out of the way! Gust won't be fast enough to dodge either the light spell or his sword that is coming right for my arm! I mean, is he trying to slice my arm off or something?
Okay, there's only one thing that can help me now! I'll just activate Defense Form! Let's g-- what... I can't activate it?! Oh, right, I can't use it while I'm moving... oh god! That's not good! That's the only way I could think of to get out of this fine!
Oh, wait a minute, I have Body Manipulation. As long as he doesn't hit my core, I'm pretty much fine.
So, I use Body Manipulation to sink my arm into myself, dodging his sword and making him lose balance. Then, I simply create holes in my body around the area where the spears will make contact, the things going through me without making actual contact with any part of myself. I refill the holes and then recreate my arm right after.
Okay! Let's hope nobody saw that well enough to get suspicious! Now, while he's pretty much tripping, I punch him right in the stomach! Using both Increase and Gust, while being enhanced even further by that punching skill I have! Yeah, that must have hurt! Even if he is wearing metal armour, there's no way he'll walk that off!
Yet, he kept on his feet, sliding back a small bit. His eyes stayed locked on me, regaining his posture.
Geez, that look he's giving me is seriously scary... like, he looks sorta mad? Maybe that's just his resting face, who knows.
"Body Manipulation... I almost forgot." He mumbled that to himself... okay, so he definitely did use appraisal on me. Well, that makes sense. He doesn't seem to be stupid or anything, so there's no way he really wouldn't.
That's three people now that know, right? Geez, maybe more... that's a lot. Maybe I should try and get some skill that blocks appraisal stuff! Yeah! That'd be useful, really useful... hopefully, it exists.
There has to be a way to defeat him, right? I just have to think.... yeah, think.
Oh, I've got it.
[Chapter 44, end.]