Toruri found himself ensnared in Heunae's chain arms, his movements restricted as he struggled against his captor's grasp.
"Hey, remember when you said I had 30 hits?" Toruri queried, his tone laced with accusation.
"Yes, I do," Heunae acknowledged, his voice calm despite the tension in the air.
"You only gave me 29 hits," Toruri pointed out, his frustration mounting with each passing moment.
"I know," Heunae admitted, his response curt and devoid of remorse.
"So... why did you attack me?" Toruri demanded, his confusion evident as he sought to make sense of Heunae's actions.
"Attack you? I'm only grabbing you," Heunae countered, his grip tightening slightly as he maintained his hold on Toruri.
"Er- grab this!!!" Toruri exclaimed, his determination flaring as he attempted to break free from Heunae's grasp.
With a swift motion, Toruri managed to free one of his arms from Heunae's grip and lashed out with his claw, aiming for one of Heunae's arms. However, his attack proved futile against Heunae's formidable defenses.
"How foolish. You do realize that my entire body is my magical weapon, and magical weapons cannot feel pain nor can they take permanent damage from non-magical weapons," Heunae explained, his voice dripping with superiority.
"So you're saying that I can only damage you using my magical weapon?" Toruri surmised, his frustration mounting as he grasped the limitations of his predicament.
"Correct," Heunae affirmed, his tone unwavering as he reinforced the reality of their situation.
"...You sure are nice to me," Toruri remarked sarcastically, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice.
"I'm only helping you out so you could have a fair fight," Heunae replied, his words carrying a subtle undertone of amusement.
"Thanks?" Toruri muttered, his gratitude tinged with skepticism as he pondered Heunae's true motives.
As Heunae unwrapped Toruri from his grasp, Toruri tensed, unsure of what to expect next.
"Shimo Be Muchi skill 1: Air Direction," Heunae declared, his voice commanding as he unleashed his next move.
"Air Direction?" Toruri echoed, his senses on high alert as he prepared for the impending attack.
Taking a few steps back, Toruri watched intently as Heunae launched a stretched-out punch in his direction. With reflexes honed by instinct, Toruri easily dodged the attack, his movements fluid and precise.
"Uh- what was that? Er, forget it! Your arm is still stretching itself and missing me, so that gives me the chance too," Toruri remarked, seizing the opportunity to retaliate.
However, before he could act, Heunae's fist snapped back with lightning speed, catching Toruri off guard and striking him on the back of the head.
"Ow, what the hell? How did that hit me?" Toruri exclaimed, his confusion evident as he stumbled from the unexpected blow.
Undeterred, Toruri remained vigilant as Heunae launched another stretched-out punch, once again evading the attack with practiced ease.
"No time for talking. I need to take care of him while his arm is still stretched out," Toruri thought to himself, his focus unwavering as he prepared to counterattack.
But before he could act, Heunae's fist returned with a vengeance, delivering a powerful blow to Toruri's back and sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Shi-" Toruri began, his words cut short by the force of the impact.
Despite the setback, Toruri quickly regained his footing, his resolve unshaken as he prepared to face his adversary head-on.
Toruri's mind raced as he grappled with the perplexing situation before him. Something was amiss—Heunae's punches seemed to defy the laws of physics, redirecting themselves with uncanny precision.
Something strange is going on here; is he redirecting his punches mid-air? Let me test.
With swift agility, Toruri dodged Heunae's next punch, only to watch in astonishment as it veered off course and homed in on him once more.
WHAT! How many times is this fist going to redirect itself!?
Realizing the imminent danger, Toruri weighed his options. Should he continue to dodge, risking exhaustion and eventual defeat, or devise a new strategy to counter Heunae's relentless assault?
It's gaining a lot of speed, maybe I should take the hit so it doesn't knock me out in the future, because that punch will hit me eventually. Wait, no, I have a better idea.
"Beakurou," Toruri called forth his magical weapon, summoning it to his side in preparation for the impending confrontation.
Heunae retracted his arm, observing Toruri with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. "I thought you would catch my hand and freeze it; from what I've heard, you're trained to use ice magic at a more than professional level."
"I am taught that, but I haven't learned how to freeze things yet; the only ice magic that I know of is Ice trap magic—" Toruri began, his thoughts racing as he formulated a daring plan.
That gives me an even better idea than this one, but I'll try it if this one fails.
"Why'd you stop talking?" Heunae inquired, his gaze narrowing with suspicion as Toruri's grin widened.
"Hehe, nothing," Toruri replied cryptically, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"He has long arms, I guess I have to use your true form for this. Beakurou, go back to your original state! I summon forth Beakurou's true form, Wana No Kuma," Toruri commanded, channeling his magic to transform his weapon into its ultimate incarnation.
As Beakurou underwent its metamorphosis, growing larger and more menacing by the second, Heunae could not help but admire the spectacle before him. "How beautiful," he remarked, his voice tinged with admiration.
"Come on, attack," Toruri urged, his heart pounding with anticipation as he prepared to unleash his newfound power.
With a mighty swing, Heunae launched another stretched punch towards Toruri, but this time, Toruri was ready. With expert precision, he maneuvered Beakurou to intercept the blow, wrapping the chain around Heunae's arm with a resounding clang.
Now I attack.
Toruri discarded his weapon and charged towards Heunae, his determination unyielding as he closed the distance between them.
"I have two hands," Heunae taunted, his confidence unshaken as he braced himself for the impending clash.
"Bite, boy," Toruri commanded, a fierce glint in his eyes as Beakurou's jaws closed around Heunae's arm, eliciting a pained grunt from his adversary.
Heunae's swift retaliation caught Toruri off guard, sending him crashing into Beakurou as the chain unwrapped from Heunae's grasp.
"I was playing with you until you hurt me, so now's the time for me to get serious," Heunae declared, his tone shifting from playful to determined.
"Ready when you are," Toruri responded, his resolve unwavering as he prepared for the ensuing battle.
With Beakurou in hand once more, Toruri braced himself as Heunae's arms lashed out like whips. But Toruri was not to be outdone, countering each strike with skillful precision as he wielded Beakurou with expert finesse.
"Enhancement Magic," Toruri called upon his magic, infusing Beakurou with even greater power as he delivered a powerful blow that knocked Heunae's hands into the air.
But Heunae was not one to be underestimated. With a swift incantation, he invoked the power of his magical weapon, Shimo Be No Muchi, unleashing its formidable abilities.
"Shimo Be No Muchi skill 4: Ghost," Heunae intoned, his arms swelling in size as they became shrouded in an ethereal mist. With uncanny precision, his hands redirected themselves towards Toruri, landing a solid blow that sent him hurtling into the air.
Undeterred, Toruri seized the opportunity, conjuring a fireball mid-air and hurling it towards Heunae, only to have it blocked effortlessly.
As Toruri regained his footing, he launched a relentless barrage of fireballs at Heunae, each one met with a swift defense. The onslaught created a dense cloud of dust, obscuring their surroundings and making it difficult to discern each other's movements.
But Toruri was not to be hindered. Activating his lizard sight, he pierced through the haze, his gaze fixed on his elusive adversary.
"Got you now—" Toruri began, only to be interrupted as he realized something unsettling. Above him hung a transparent dome, encasing them both in an invisible barrier.
Caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, Toruri braced himself for whatever challenge lay ahead, his mind racing as he plotted his next move within the confines of the dome.
Toruri's mind raced as he struggled against the crushing pressure of the dome encasing him. Despite the pain and discomfort, a glimmer of realization dawned upon him.
What? What is this? Ah, so that's what his first ability does, it creates a dome! But what does this dome do exactly? Oh wait! This must be what he uses to so-called redirect his punches; his punches bounce off of the dome and at me while at the same time gaining speed. Plan B is going to work now! I just need to verify that the dome can be broken first.
Summoning his wings, Toruri ascended into the air, aiming to test the limits of the dome. But his attempt proved futile as the dome reacted unexpectedly, shrinking and enveloping him with crushing force.
Heunae's attention was piqued by the unexpected turn of events.
"Hm?" he mused, observing Toruri's plight with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
Struggling to speak under the immense pressure, Toruri managed to convey a message to his adversary.
"I was planning on not telling you this but—just to let you know, I figured out your whole redirection thing and it won't work on me anymore," he gasped, his voice strained.
Heunae's eyebrows raised in surprise at Toruri's revelation.
"Amazing. How are you surviving this? This much pressure would crush a human into a marble in under a second," he remarked, genuinely impressed.
Toruri mustered a defiant retort despite his predicament.
"Are you that dumb? I'm no human! You saw me grow wings and shoot fireballs at you," he replied with a hint of exasperation.
Heunae's arms reverted to their normal state as he continued the conversation.
"I'm closer to your age than you think. I'm not even in my 20s yet! The only races I know about are vampires, humans, and the Swanders," Heunae explained.
"Swanders? What's that?" Toruri inquired, his curiosity piqued despite his discomfort.
Heunae elaborated on the mysterious race, shedding light on their unique abilities.
"Your friend right now is probably facing off against a Swander. Swanders are what we call spirit people, people who can jump in between being dead and being alive without any penalty," Heunae revealed.
Toruri struggled to his feet, determination burning in his eyes as he faced his adversary once more.
"Well, soon after this, you'll probably jump from being alive to being dead and you'll never come back," Toruri declared, his voice tinged with resolve.
Heunae chuckled at Toruri's bravado, but his amusement was short-lived as Toruri unleashed a burst of fire, burning through the dome with determined ferocity. Before Heunae could react, Toruri seized his arm, deftly evading his attack with a swift maneuver.
Heunae's relentless onslaught left Toruri reeling, bouncing helplessly within the confines of his own attack. As Heunae continued to unleash his devastating barrage, Toruri struggled to find a way to counteract the overwhelming assault.
Eh? So it does work as a chain! All I need to do now is unravel his chain enough to get a critical hit on his Geji and mess up the flow of the mana that's keeping himself together, which would kill him in an instant. But the real question is, should I kill this guy?
Before Toruri could contemplate further, a shadow loomed over him, signaling Heunae's next move. A massive boulder hurtled towards Toruri, who attempted to evade, only to find himself caught in a disorienting cycle of rebounding between the ground and the boulder.
Heunae's voice pierced through the chaos, explaining the nature of his ability and reveling in Toruri's predicament. With calculated precision, Heunae unleashed a devastating barrage of attacks, amplifying the force of his blows with each strike.
Toruri gritted his teeth as the onslaught continued, each impact sending waves of pain coursing through his body. As Heunae's arms began to spin, obliterating both the boulder and the ground beneath them, Toruri was sent hurtling through the air, his mind racing with determination.
Ugh, dammit
Meanwhile, in Onri's cave, Ryoshi and Onri continued their training regimen. As they sparred, Ryoshi demonstrated newfound strength and agility, his movements more fluid and precise than before.
Onri, impressed by Ryoshi's progress, decided it was time for him to unlock his next skill. With a sense of anticipation, Ryoshi closed his eyes and focused his energy, channeling his newfound strength into a manifestation of his magic.
After a brief moment of concentration, Ryoshi opened his eyes, ready to unveil his latest ability.
"Here I go. Surikku No Ha skill 2: Abominable Snowman," Ryoshi declared.
With a surge of magical energy, Ryoshi summoned a towering snowman, its massive form bristling with power. As the snowman took shape before them, Onri regarded Ryoshi with a mixture of pride and curiosity, eager to see how he would wield his newfound ability.
Ryoshi's voice pierced through the clamor, a mixture of awe and amusement. "Woah, cool!"
Onri, caught off guard, barely had a moment to respond before Ryoshi's excitement bubbled forth again. "Haha, check it out!"
But within Onri's mind, a silent lament echoed. I have to deal with this thing too?
The Abominable Snowman, a towering figure wreathed in icy magic, unleashed its power with a gleeful cry. "Slush!"
A massive blue orb of magic hurtled through the air toward Onri, who deftly dodged its icy embrace.
"Haha, that's my Snowman!!!" Ryoshi exclaimed, his joy mirroring that of his frosty companion.
Elsewhere, Toruri and Heunae engaged in a deadly dance of martial prowess and magical might.
Toruri, his skin taking on a reptilian hue, noted with a mixture of frustration and begrudging respect Heunae's improving skills. He's getting better at placing those air directions of his
With a swift and unpredictable movement, Heunae launched a series of strikes, his arms spinning with unnatural speed and precision. "Shimo Be No Mochi skill 2 and 4: Ghost Spin!"
Toruri evaded the onslaught with agile leaps and bounds, his mind calculating each move with precision. The air direction thingies are burnable, right?
In a blaze of fiery retaliation, Toruri unleashed a torrent of flames, obliterating Heunae's magical constructs and momentarily gaining the upper hand.
But Heunae, unwavering in his devotion, retaliated with deadly precision, his attacks fueled by poison and purpose. "Poison Magic: Poison Dart Bomb!"
Toruri grimaced as the poisonous magic grazed his shoulder, leaving a searing burn in its wake.
With each exchange, the battlefield became a tapestry of explosive clashes and calculated maneuvers, each combatant pushing themselves to the brink in pursuit of victory.
Yet amidst the chaos and the clash of wills, a quiet determination burned within Toruri's eyes, a resolve to emerge victorious against all odds.
In the midst of their fierce clash, Toruri's voice cut through the chaos like a blade through silk, filled with a potent blend of determination and disdain. "You're getting kind of greedy. Enhancement magic."
With a swift motion, Toruri's fist connected solidly with Heunae's stomach, the force behind it sending a shudder through his opponent's frame. Grasping Heunae firmly, Toruri hoisted him into the air, unleashing a relentless barrage of punches that echoed with each strike.
For thirty relentless seconds, Toruri rained blows upon Heunae, each impact fueling his resolve. Then, with a final, devastating strike to the chin, Toruri sent Heunae hurtling through the air.
But Heunae, undeterred by the onslaught, met Toruri's challenge with unwavering resolve. "Did you think that could beat me? Shimo Be No Mochi skill 3: Venom Snake."
Summoning forth a monstrous serpent of venomous energy, Heunae launched it towards Toruri, its deadly coils threatening to ensnare him.
Determined to prevail, Toruri unleashed a torrent of flame, the intensity of his attack matching the ferocity of Heunae's venomous serpent. Their powers clashed in a dazzling display of magic, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
Toruri's mind raced with urgency, his patience waning with each passing moment. This entire fight, he has been so goddamn calm. I just want this over with!
But Heunae, with a calculated calmness, countered with a devastating technique of his own, the force of his strike threatening to overwhelm Toruri's flames.
With desperation fueling his every move, Toruri unleashed a blinding white beam of fire, its brilliance illuminating the battlefield with an almost divine radiance. As the flames consumed Heunae's arm, his cry of agony pierced the air, mingling with the scent of burning flesh and the acrid tang of magic.
Heunae's resolve wavered, his tears mixing with the crimson flow of his blood as he faced the brutal reality of defeat. "H-He broke through my god's magic... H-He broke through my magical weapon. But how?!"
Toruri, transformed by his newfound power, advanced steadily, his gaze unyielding as he closed the distance between them.
But Heunae, consumed by pain and fear, lashed out with one final, desperate act of defiance. "Stay away from me!"
A ball of poison magic erupted from his trembling hand, but Toruri remained unscathed, his determination unwavering in the face of his adversary's last stand.
As the dust settled and the echoes of battle faded, a poignant exchange unfolded between Toruri and Heunae, their words carrying the weight of revelation and regret.
"I-I was raised to think that nobody would or could hurt you... b-but was that wrong!?" Heunae's voice trembled with uncertainty as he grappled with the truth.
In a display of strength and mercy, Toruri caught Heunae's punch effortlessly, closing the distance between them with measured steps. With a solemn resolve, Toruri unleashed a blueish magic attack, freezing Heunae's wound in a gesture of unexpected compassion.
"What are you going to do to me!?" Heunae's voice cracked with fear as he faced the uncertainty of his fate.
"Maybe I should second guess myself more often. I'll spare you. You were just pushed the wrong way," Toruri declared, his tone tinged with empathy.
Heunae's eyes widened in disbelief, tears mingling with the remnants of his pain. "What?"
"Let me tell you this. You're so spoiled that you can't see when someone's trying to use you for their self-benefits," Toruri explained, his voice firm with conviction.
Heunae's denial faltered as Toruri revealed the truth, his world crumbling around him with each damning revelation.
"Why should I believe you? You're my enemy," Heunae protested weakly, his defiance waning in the face of Toruri's unwavering resolve.
"I'll show you the truth! And if I'm wrong, I'll let you kill me or whatever. You just have to trust me," Toruri urged, his voice tinged with urgency.
As Heunae's strength waned and his resolve faltered, Toruri lifted him gently, offering a semblance of support amidst the ruins of their conflict.
"Hey, put me down!" Heunae protested feebly, his resistance fading with each passing moment.
"Toi, let's go," Toruri called out to his companion, a silent ally hidden in the shadows.
With a resigned sigh, Heunae surrendered to Toruri's guidance, his trust born of necessity rather than conviction.
As Toruri pressed forward, his burden heavy and his resolve unyielding, he reflected on the path that lay ahead, a journey fraught with uncertainty and danger. But with each step, he remained steadfast in his determination to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.