Once again the members of the Future Veins and the two who wished to join stood in the backyard of the guildhall. This time Hitsu and Jinsuke stood on the battlefield preparing for their fight. Nox, Juno, Enai, and Sel stood on the sidelines, all of them holding different feelings about the battle.
"Is this a good idea?" Nox asked worried, "Should we really let them fight?"
"I don't see a problem with it," Sel replied casually, "I mean it was Hitsu's idea after all."
"We have to let them fight!" Enai said excitedly. She sat low to the ground, hugging her knees to her chest, her breath was heavy with anticipation. "Hitsu's a powerful hero, but Jinsuke comes from a famous slayer family! I have to know who will win!"
"Enai... You're scaring me," Nox said bluntly.
Juno lay next to her feet, her body stretched out as she enjoyed the warmth of the shining sun.
"So what exactly are we doing?" Jinsuke asked Hitsu from across the battlefield.
"Well, the loser has to do one thing the winner request," Hitsu said as he stretched his arms, "but I don't really feel like fighting."
Nox looked over to see that Enai's excitement had been shattered by those words.
"I assume you know how to play tag?" Hitsu asked.
"Of course," Jinsuke replied.
"Alright, I'm it," Hitsu said.
"They're going to play tag?" Sel asked, "What the hell? I thought something exciting would happen."
"If I tag you then I win," Hitsu explained, "If you stop me completely then you win."
"Makes sense," Jinsuke replied casually, "I'm ready when you are."
"Alright then," Hitsu said with a smile. With a wave of his hand, a small pink circle appeared in his palm, its shape and size the same as a coin. "When this hits the ground we start."
"Bring it on," Jinsuke said with a yawn.
Hitsu grinned and flicked the coin high into the air with his thumb. As it spun and flew through the air Hitsu fell into a starting position. Neon quickly began to course through his legs and illuminated the ground below a bright pink.
Nox looked from Hitsu to Jinsuke to see that the latter had barely moved. The only preparation he had made was to close his eyes and join the palms of his hands together. It was then Nox realized that while Hitsu had stretched and warmed up Jinsuke had stood still.
"Hey Enai," Nox whispered as the coin began its descent back to the ground.
"Yeah?" Enai whispered back. Nox could hear that some of her excitement had returned as she had realized what was about to happen.
"You said Jinsuke came from a family of slayers... They all share the same power right?"
"That's right."
"What power would that be?"
An excited grin appeared on Enai's face as she answered.
"An amazing power... The power to control the Earth."
DING
The instant the coin hit the ground Jinsuke's eyes shot open. Quicker than anyone could comprehend his arm was outstretched in Hitsu's direction. He lowered three of his fingers leaving only his middle and index up. Immediately the ground on both sides of Hitsu shot up making two walls of Earth. Before Hitsu could move Jinsuke closed the space between his fingers and the walls closed in. Within a second of the coin hitting the ground, Hitsu had been encased in rock and dirt.
"H-H-Hitsu!" Nox shouted startled.
"Whoa... Are you serious?" Sel said amazed.
"Don't worry," Enai said calmly, her words gathering the attention of the other two. "Hitsu is fine," Enai said confidently.
"How do you know?" Sel asked.
Enai pointed directly at Jinsuke as she spoke. "He hasn't let his guard down yet."
Nox and Sel looked up to see Enai was right, Jinsuke still stood tense and ready despite Hitsu's capture. He stared intently at the ball of rock that shook rapidly, Hitsu wasn't completely stopped. Through the cracks in the rocks and dirt and pink light could be seen seeping through. Moments later the rocks lost their form as the glowing pink form of Hitsu burst through, he allowed the momentum to carry him as he started running towards Jinsuke.
Jinsuke didn't seem fazed by Hitsu's escape as he simply continued his attack. His other hand rose into the air and a pillar of the earth did the same. Jinsuke swiped his hand in front of him causing the pillar to fly in Hitsu's direction. Without slowing down, Hitsu sprang forward into a cartwheel. As he balanced on his hands his legs swung into the oncoming pillar. The neon around his legs acted as a weapon as it shattered the pillar on impact. Hitsu landed on his feet and continued forward without losing speed.
Faster and faster Jinsuke continued his attack. With every movement of his arm, the ground below rose on command, with every movement of his fingers they split, chased, and closed in on Hitsu. Faster and faster Hitsu reacted, he smashed, shattered, and dodged the pillars with blinding speed leaving behind only rubble and a neon trail of light. Closer and closer he grew to lay his hands on his friend.
With Hitsu grower ever closer Jinsuke knew he only had one more chance to win. He fell to his knees and slammed his hands onto the ground. All around Jinsuke rose sharp, pointed pillars of Earth. They covered the area around him while also extending out to capture Hitsu.
"Jagged Earth!" Jinsuke shouted as the pillars reached out to halt Hitsu.
Time seemed to slow as everyone watched Jinsuke's final stand. Hitsu slowly fell towards the ground as the pillars shot towards him. Despite the potentially deadly attack heading his way, Hitsu's expression was that of a confident grin. As he raced towards Jinsuke the neon around Hitsu's legs had spread to cover his whole body, something nobody was able to see until now. The radiant pink glow that Hitsu gave off only made his words seem more impactful.
"Nice to see you're finally trying," Hitsu said, his words felted as though they echoed in Jinsuke's mind, "but I'm still taking this more seriously than you!"
"No way," Sel thought.
"Jinsuke isn't going slower," echoed in Enai's mind.
"Hitsu is going faster!" Nox realized.
"Light Speed Burst!" Hitsu shouted.
With a flash, it was all over. The pillars had been destroyed leaving only a rain of small rocks behind. A bright pink neon trail floated in the air where Hitsu once was. Three pairs of eyes followed the trail as it fell to the ground and shot forward. The eyes came to a stop on Hitsu, the trail leading directly to his body. Hitsu stood with a dazed expression, the attack seeming to take a lot out of him. Jinsuke stood shocked at Hitsu's sudden movement, what didn't shock him was the hand touching his chest.
"Tag," Hitsu said weakly. His tired legs gave out and Hitsu began to fall forward. He was stopped by Jinsuke's arm pulling him back to his feet.
"Yep," Jinsuke said with a smile, "you got me."
"It wasn't that hard," Hitsu said with a chuckle, "you were going easy on me. You wanted to join the Future Veins, didn't you?"
"Maybe," Jinsuke responded, "or maybe it was just too much work thinking of something if I won."
"Knowing you... It could be either one," Hitsu responded.
At the side of the battlefield Nox, Sel, and Enai watched in disbelief as Juno slept soundly.
"That was insane," Sel said amazed.
"I knew Hitsu was strong but I didn't know he was that strong," Enai said stunned.
"Hitsu said that Jinsuke was holding back..." Nox added.
"...Just how strong are those two?"
...
End of Episode 38