"Feast your eyes on my weapon, Fuyu," Haneru declared proudly, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
"Yeah, thanks. I need a refresher on how to beat your ass in more than one way," Fuyu retorted with a smirk, his confidence unshaken.
"Senshi No Ha," Haneru intoned, summoning a massive katana, its curved blade gleaming ominously in the dappled light.
"Now I know," Fuyu acknowledged, his expression focused.
In an instant, both combatants disappeared, leaving behind only a sense of anticipation and uncertainty.
"Uh, is this a good thing?" Toruri turned to Ishen, his voice tinged with unease.
"I'll let you run. But if you want to fight, I will slaughter you like a wolf does to a sheep," Ishen warned, his tone chilling.
"No... I'm good," Toruri replied hastily, his resolve faltering in the face of Ishen's threat.
"Are you sure?" Ishen pressed, his gaze unwavering.
"Yeah," Toruri affirmed, his voice shaky with apprehension.
"Okay, then. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get," Ishen declared ominously.
"I SAID NO!" Toruri protested, panic creeping into his voice.
Suddenly, Furia materialized in front of Toruri, his presence unexpected.
"Furia? Where did you come from? Were you invisible?" Toruri exclaimed, his confusion evident.
"No, you can't see it yet, but if you move at a certain speed, some people can't see. You'll gain the ability to see it and might even unlock that amount of speed," Furia explained cryptically.
"Death is waiting for you," Ishen's voice echoed with menace.
"Do what you want! I'll just fuck your bitch ass up in the end," Furia retorted defiantly, his bravado unwavering.
With a tap of his heel, Ishen shattered the world around Furia like glass, leaving only the vast expanse of the sky, him, and Ishen. As Furia began to fall, he glimpsed the ground rushing up to meet him, a sense of dread settling over him like a suffocating blanket.
"Shit," Furia cursed under his breath as he plummeted towards the ground.
With a thunderous impact, Furia crashed into the earth, creating a massive crater upon impact. To his surprise, Ishen stood within the newly formed depression, seemingly unfazed by the ordeal.
"What now?" Ishen questioned, his tone betraying a hint of curiosity.
"We're not near Negative Point anymore, so I can go all out," Furia declared, his voice laced with determination.
Confusion flickered across Ishen's face as Furia's words sank in.
"Because, YOU. ARE. PISSING. ME. OFF!!!!!" Furia roared with frustration, a thick red aura enveloping him as his pupils narrowed into slits.
Ishen sighed in resignation, realizing the gravity of the situation. With a snap of his fingers, he attempted to shatter everything around Furia. However, to his astonishment, Furia resisted the force, his movements only slightly impeded.
"There's no way to negate this, so he must be overpowering it somehow," Ishen whispered to himself, his realization dawning.
Furia let out a primal scream of fury, the sound reverberating through the air as he unleashed his full power.
In a blur of motion, Furia dashed towards Ishen with incredible speed, delivering a powerful punch that sent Ishen hurtling into the ground. With astonishing force and precision, Ishen tunneled through the earth, propelled by Furia's relentless assault, until he reached the depths of a cavern.
But Furia was already there, waiting for him. With a swift motion, Furia seized Ishen by the leg, swinging him around like a ragdoll before hurling him back up through the tunnel with tremendous force.
As Ishen soared through the air, Furia ascended to meet him. With a mighty punch, Furia sent Ishen hurtling back towards the ground, where he crashed with such impact that the earth itself seemed to tremble.
Trees, bushes, boulders, and dirt cascaded down in a massive landslide, the landscape transformed by the ferocity of Furia's onslaught. Yet, amidst the chaos, Furia stood tall, his eyes burning with an intensity that matched the inferno of his rage.
"This guy... He's strong. Stronger than me. If it wasn't for his strength, I would be winning," Ishen acknowledged with a mix of admiration and frustration as he assessed Furia's formidable power.
With a touch of the dirt beneath him, Ishen unleashed a surge of magic, shattering everything around Furia like fragile glass. In an instant, Furia found himself transported to the vast expanse of the ocean, surrounded by endless waves stretching to the horizon. Meanwhile, Ishen hovered above the water, poised for the next phase of their battle.
"We are farther away from Negative Point. I can destroy even more," Furia declared, his voice echoing with determination.
With blinding speed, Furia rocketed up behind Ishen, seizing his leg with a vice-like grip. In rapid succession, Furia unleashed a barrage of punches, striking Ishen with precision and force before hurling him into the ocean below.
"Hehehe. RAAAAAAAAAAH," Furia's laughter reverberated through the air as his aura expanded, painting the sky with a fiery red hue.
Meanwhile, Toruri pondered his next move, torn between the desire to assist Ryoshi and the urge to confront the enigmatic opponent before him.
"What should I do? Wait, maybe I should go fight that other guy," Toruri mused aloud, his thoughts racing.
However, before he could act, his attention was drawn to a crimson glow in the sky.
"Woah, where is that? Shit, I still should help Ryoshi out," Toruri decided, his determination solidifying as he set off in Ryoshi's direction.
Back in the midst of the battle, Furia focused his energy into his hand, condensing it into a small red ball of magic. With a malevolent grin, he released the ball, watching as it plummeted towards the water below.
"Nuke," Furia declared, his voice dripping with malice.
Upon impact, the ball exploded into a colossal sphere of destruction, engulfing the surrounding area in a maelstrom of chaos. As the explosion subsided, it left behind a gaping crater in the ocean depths, testament to Furia's devastating power.
New landmark - Reverse Red Crab Peak: A mysterious location where fishermen gather to find fish and crabs, its waters strangely unaffected by the cataclysmic explosion, instead retaining an eerie stillness despite the devastation wrought by Furia's magic.
"That was only my first form," Furia declared, his voice reverberating with ominous intent.
"I can see that," Ishen responded coolly, his demeanor calm and collected despite the chaos surrounding them.
"You aren't trying! I know your full capabilities. If you had unlocked that eye thing, you could possibly push me into using my 3rd form," Furia accused, his frustration palpable.
"Yeah. I'm not trying right now. We only came here to send a message. If we took him right now, he wouldn't be very understanding. I'll retreat," Ishen explained, his tone decisive.
"What?" Furia exclaimed in disbelief as Ishen snapped his fingers and vanished into thin air.
"Well, hell! Where do I go now?" Furia muttered to himself, his gaze scanning the desolate landscape as he contemplated his next move.
Meanwhile, in the midst of another intense battle, Fuyu faced off against Haneru, his opponent's relentless attacks testing his resolve.
"Isn't this fun, Fuyu?" Haneru taunted, a smirk playing on his lips as he launched into another flurry of slashes.
"I guess so," Fuyu replied, his voice betraying a hint of weariness as he braced himself for the onslaught.
With lightning speed, Haneru darted towards Fuyu, his sword flashing as he unleashed a barrage of strikes. Fuyu deftly blocked each blow, his spear poised for a counterattack.
"Hey, get down from there," Fuyu called out as Haneru leaped onto a nearby tree, surveying the battlefield with a predatory gleam in his eye.
Wait," Fuyu's voice trailed off as realization dawned upon him.
In an instant, Haneru appeared behind Fuyu, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision.
"Pressure Magic: Compressed Release," Haneru announced as he unleashed a powerful wave of air towards Fuyu.
The blast struck Fuyu with tremendous force, sending him hurtling into a nearby tree. As Fuyu struggled to regain his footing, he felt the searing pain of a deep gash on his back, blood staining his hands as he assessed the damage.
"Haneru, your strength—" Fuyu began, but his words were cut short as Haneru executed another devastating attack.
"Senshi No Ha Skill 1: Air Slash," Haneru declared, his blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.
Fuyu braced himself for the impact, but it was too late. The thin crescent-shaped wave of air sliced through him effortlessly, cutting him in half with brutal efficiency, leaving him sprawled on the ground in a pool of his own blood.
"I really have grown—" Haneru's words trailed off as both pieces of Fuyu suddenly transformed into ice, leaving him stunned.
"What!?" Haneru exclaimed in disbelief, his gaze darting around the battlefield in search of his adversary.
Fuyu appeared atop a nearby tree branch, his voice echoing with an eerie calmness. "Fuyu, your strength isn't enough to kill me," he stated matter-of-factly, his icy gaze fixed upon Haneru.
"Oh, an ice clone? That's crazy," Haneru remarked, his astonishment evident.
"I know, right," Fuyu replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.
With determination etched upon his features, Haneru unleashed a flurry of attacks, each one aimed at Fuyu's icy form.
"Skill 1: Air Slash Tasu," Haneru announced as he hurled multiple miniature waves of air towards Fuyu, who stood firm in the face of the onslaught.
"Skill 2: Enkyori Gatana Kiri," Haneru continued, swinging his sword with precision. With two swift strokes, both of Fuyu's arms were severed, yet he remained unfazed.
"Skill 2: Enkyori Ken Terepoto," Haneru declared as he teleported to Fuyu's location, impaling him with his sword. But once again, Fuyu transformed into ice, eluding Haneru's attack.
"Quit playing with your food, Fuyu," Haneru admonished, frustration evident in his voice.
Fuyu reappeared on the tree branch, his expression inscrutable. "Or what?" he challenged, his icy gaze meeting Haneru's.
"Who knows? Maybe I've got something that you don't know about," Haneru responded cryptically, a hint of defiance in his tone.
"Don't tell me that you—" Fuyu began, but his words were cut short as Haneru ripped off his blindfold, revealing his black hollow eyes, similar to Fuyu's own.
"No more clones now. Let me ask, what did you do to unlock it?" Fuyu inquired, curiosity mingling with caution.
"I retrieved a few things for him," Haneru admitted, his gaze unwavering.
"I'm not going to ask, but good job, Haneru! Now show me, what can you do?" Fuyu challenged, his voice tinged with anticipation.
"Let me show you! Kagho," Haneru declared, his eyes glowing with a vibrant orange and yellow hue as purple highlights outlined his features, a sign of his newfound power.
"Epic. Kagho," Fuyu responded, his voice tinged with admiration.
A tear trickled down Fuyu's cheek, leaving behind a radiant blue trail as it fell. As the tear dropped from his face, blue flames flickered in his eyes, a manifestation of his newfound power.
"I'm ready when you are," Fuyu declared, his gaze locked with Haneru's.
"You go first," Haneru replied, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Meanwhile, Toruri continued his search for Ryoshi, his senses keen as he moved stealthily through the foliage.
Where is he? I know he went this way, where is he? Toruri mused silently to himself as he scanned the area.
Spotting Ryoshi perched on a rock, Toruri cautiously approached, taking cover in the nearby bushes.
"Is the guy here?" Toruri whispered, his voice barely audible.
Yoraki observed Ryoshi closely, his intentions unclear to the bewildered Ryoshi.
"Why can't I move?" Ryoshi questioned, his voice laced with confusion and apprehension.
"I put a movement seal on you," Yoraki explained calmly, his blindfold concealing his gaze.
"Uh, okay. What are you gonna do to me?!" Ryoshi demanded, his anxiety mounting.
"Nothing yet. I'm just checking something," Yoraki responded cryptically, his grip firm as he examined Ryoshi's arm.
"You do have it. That's amazing," Yoraki remarked, his tone filled with a mixture of awe and intrigue.
"Have what? My arm looks normal to me! And how the hell do you see my arm!?" Ryoshi exclaimed, his frustration evident.
Yoraki sighed and released Ryoshi's arm before shooting a tiny beam of yellow magic at him.
"I'll release you now," Yoraki stated, his voice tinged with resignation as he disappeared into thin air, leaving Ryoshi bewildered and alone.
"What the hell just happened?" Ryoshi muttered to himself, his mind reeling from the encounter.
As Toruri emerged from the bushes, concern etched on his features, Ryoshi's attention shifted.
"Toruri?" Ryoshi called out, relief flooding his voice as he spotted his friend.
"Are you okay?" Toruri inquired, his eyes scanning Ryoshi for any signs of injury.
"Yeah, that flick didn't even hurt," Ryoshi replied, his tone nonchalant.
"Good enough for me. Should we look for Fuyu?" Toruri suggested, his concern evident.
"I guess so," Ryoshi agreed, his mind still grappling with the events that had just unfolded.
Meanwhile, back in the midst of the battle, Fuyu and Haneru continued their intense confrontation, each one testing the limits of their newfound powers.
"Anytime now," Fuyu called out, his gaze steady as he awaited Haneru's next move.
"To hell with this!" Haneru exclaimed, his frustration evident as he unleashed a powerful wave of magic, transforming the ground beneath Fuyu into mud.
"Cool party trick," Fuyu remarked, his voice tinged with amusement as he watched the mud shift and morph.
"This is all part of the plan," Haneru declared cryptically, his intentions shrouded in mystery.
"What plan?" Fuyu questioned, his curiosity piqued as he observed the mud solidify into a towering pillar that reached towards the clouds.
As Fuyu stood atop the pillar, he watched as Haneru manipulated the terrain, his every move calculated and precise. With a graceful leap, Fuyu descended from the pillar, landing back on the solid ground below, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
In the haunting depths of the forest, where the whispers of ancient trees mingled with the eerie silence, Fuyu's voice rang out, a mixture of astonishment and sarcasm. "Ok? Oh my god, that was such an amazing plan! I'm thoroughly impressed."
Haneru's response crackled with frustration, slicing through Fuyu's facade. "I don't care for your sarcasm. You don't even grasp the plan."
Unperturbed, Fuyu persisted, his curiosity kindled. "Alright then, what's the plan?"
"The plan is simple. Exposure," Haneru stated with unwavering resolve.
"Exposure? You know what else has exposure?" Fuyu quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"What?" Haneru's tone turned guarded, sensing a trap.
"Your eye," Fuyu declared with a hint of menace, his words carrying a sharp edge.
"Tch- WAIT NO!!!" Haneru's protest was cut short as his eye expanded for five excruciating seconds before erupting in a gory cascade.
"GAAAAAAH!!!" Haneru's cry of agony reverberated through the forest, a chilling symphony of pain.
"That was more blood than I expected!" Fuyu exclaimed, a mixture of shock and amusement coloring his voice.
Haneru, now convulsing uncontrollably, fought to regain control. "Fuyu, quit holding back."
"If I unleashed my full power, I'd level this entire forest," Haneru confessed, his voice tinged with resignation. "And you, Fuyu, if you tapped into your full potential, we could obliterate this entire biome! But I'm not here for destruction yet. Restraint is necessary."
"I find it amusing that you're saying all this with a bleeding eye," Fuyu remarked dryly, a hint of revulsion creeping into his tone. "Could you cover that thing up with your hand or something? I'd rather not see any of that."
"I no longer feel the pain," Haneru declared, his voice devoid of emotion. "Fuyu, the sole reason for my presence here is to end you."
"Yeah, and how do you plan to do that?" Fuyu's voice reverberated with defiance.
The forest around them stirred with latent power, as trees began to stir, their branches twisting and morphing into deadly weapons. With lethal precision, they transformed into colossal wooden spears, aimed directly at Fuyu with murderous intent. He evaded with the agility of a hunted prey, but the earth itself betrayed him, sprouting spikes that surged with lethal accuracy, impaling him with merciless efficiency.
In the eerie silence of the forest, Haneru's voice reverberated with anticipation. "Now! Is this fake or not?"
A chilling silence followed, broken only by the steady drip of blood from the spike, a grim reminder of its deadly reality.
"Finally, I've got you! FUYU HIANSHOOOOOOOO!!!" Haneru's exultant cry pierced the air, a declaration of victory tainted with malice.
"W-wow, you actually... g-got me," Fuyu stammered, blood pooling at his lips, his defiance overshadowed by a grim acceptance of his fate.
Ryoshi's voice, filled with dread, cut through the tension. "Fuyu! Are you... there?"
Ryoshi and Toruri stood frozen in horror as they beheld Fuyu's impaled body, a grotesque tableau of agony and despair.
"Fuyu?..." Toruri's voice wavered, disbelief mingling with fear.
In a swift response, Ryoshi unleashed his power. "Surikku No Ha: ICE HORSE!!!"
Mounted on his icy steed, Ryoshi charged towards Haneru with unwavering resolve, while Toruri sprinted alongside him, his determination unyielding.
"Kids?" Haneru's voice softened momentarily, a flicker of remorse piercing the darkness.
With a subtle movement of his sword, Haneru unleashed devastation upon them. Toruri's cry of pain echoed through the clearing as he was slashed across the chest, his anguish reverberating through the forest.
"What the- HELL!!!" Toruri's outcry was drowned out by the overwhelming agony coursing through him as he collapsed to the ground, his world spinning into darkness.
Again, with a swift motion, Haneru shattered Ryoshi's mount, sending the ice horse crashing to the ground in shattered fragments, leaving Ryoshi to skid across the forest floor with painful velocity.
"You'll be fine," Haneru remarked callously, his indifference chilling to the bone. "Fuyu, it's time for your execution!"
As Haneru raised his sword, Toruri's desperate plea cut through the air. "NO! DON'T DO IT!"
Ignoring his cries, Haneru swung his blade down with merciless precision, severing Fuyu's head from his body in one fell swoop.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!" Toruri's anguished cry pierced the silence, a desperate plea for salvation.
Fuyu's head, now separated from his body, spilled with blood, a gruesome testament to the brutality of their reality.
"FUYUUUUUUUUUU!!!" Ryoshi's heart-wrenching scream echoed through the clearing, his grief tearing through the darkness like a knife.
With a cold farewell, Haneru vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a trail of devastation and despair.
Toruri, trembling with grief, rose to his feet and stumbled towards Fuyu's head, his heart heavy with sorrow.
"Fuyu... no," he whispered, his voice choked with tears.
In a sudden twist of fate, Fuyu's head transformed into ice, leaving Toruri bewildered and shaken.
"What?" Toruri's confusion was palpable as he stared at the icy visage before him.
And then, to his astonishment, Fuyu stood before him, his presence a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, even in the face of unspeakable darkness.
Toruri's voice trembled with disbelief. "Fuyu?"
A smirk danced across Fuyu's lips as he responded, his tone laced with amusement. "Another ice clone."
"W-what!?" Ryoshi's incredulous exclamation filled the air, his mind struggling to comprehend the deception.
"Yep," Fuyu confirmed nonchalantly, his gaze flickering between his bewildered companions.
"I saw you bleed and everything!" Toruri protested, his voice tinged with frustration and confusion.
"Ever heard of blood ice clones?" Fuyu quipped, his smirk widening at Toruri's stunned expression.
"I never knew about that," Toruri admitted, his voice tinged with embarrassment.
"WELL NOW YOU DO!" Fuyu declared triumphantly, his amusement evident in his tone.
Ryoshi's voice cut through the conversation, his patience wearing thin. "...Well, could you... PLEASE EXPLAIN TO US WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"
Fuyu's expression softened, a hint of mischief still lingering in his eyes. "Sure thing, but one thing though. You guys look a little... how do I say this?... Battle damaged? I need to heal you."
"Weren't you gonna teach me how to do healing ice magic?" Ryoshi's eagerness was palpable, his determination undeterred by the chaos around them.
"Yeah, sorry! I'll do it, after you're healed," Fuyu promised, his tone genuine.
"Ok... WELL DAMN, LET'S HURRY ALREADY!" Ryoshi exclaimed, his impatience bubbling to the surface.
"Fiiiine," Fuyu relented with a chuckle, already preparing to channel his magic to mend the wounds of his comrades.