As Taiyo's command echoed through the arena, Shimisu wasted no time in unleashing his explosive prowess.
"Explosion Magic: BOOM PELLET!" Shimisu shouted, launching a projectile at Toruri with lightning speed. Reacting with quick reflexes, Toruri improvised a defense, tearing a fragment of the ground and redirecting it towards the boom pellet, causing a spectacular explosion.
The sudden eruption left both combatants momentarily stunned, but as the dust settled, their expressions shifted to ones of amusement.
"Bahahahaha! That was quite the spectacle!" they both chuckled in unison.
"So, I'm guessing you have some new moves?" Toruri inquired with a grin.
Shimisu returned the grin. "No, I have new MOVES! But I'm guessing YOU have new MOVES too?"
"Indeed, I have a few tricks up my sleeve," Toruri confirmed.
"Can I show MINE first?" Shimisu proposed eagerly.
"Sure!" Toruri agreed, ready for whatever challenge lay ahead.
With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Shimisu invoked his magic once more. "Explosion Magic: Minefield!"
Yet, to Toruri's surprise, nothing seemed to happen.
"What did you do?" Toruri questioned, puzzled by the lack of any visible effect.
A sly grin crossed Shimisu's face. "You'll see," he replied cryptically.
Undeterred by the mystery, Toruri decided it was time to demonstrate his own capabilities.
"It's about time I show you what I can do," Toruri declared confidently, as he summoned his wings and soared towards Shimisu. But just as he began his flight, an unexpected explosion engulfed him, leaving him standing amidst a cloud of smoke and dirt.
As Toruri geared up for a more intense exchange, Shimisu eagerly accepted the challenge.
"I will," Shimisu affirmed, brimming with determination.
With a focused gaze, Toruri prepared to face his opponent's next move head-on.
"Time to get serious," Toruri declared, his resolve shining through. "You can show me your move while we fight."
Shimisu nodded, his anticipation evident. "I will."
Intrigued by Shimisu's explosive tactics, Toruri pondered the nature of his opponent's traps.
"So, how do these mines work? Are they underground or just invisible? I guess it's time to see," Toruri mused silently.
Summoning his weapon, Beakurou, Toruri launched one of its ends towards the ground, expecting to trigger any hidden explosives.
To his surprise, nothing happened.
Confusion flashed across Toruri's face as he approached his weapon, but before he could reach it, an explosion erupted, catching him off guard.
Shimisu smirked triumphantly, reveling in his opponent's momentary disarray.
"The bombs only activate when they come in contact with things that are human body temperature or higher!" Shimisu explained gleefully.
Understanding dawned on Toruri as he processed the information.
"I see," Toruri acknowledged, mentally preparing for his next move.
With quick thinking, Toruri employed his weapon's capabilities, channeling a fireball through its jaws and igniting its surface to a glowing red.
Observing the battle, Fuyu remarked on Toruri's skillful mastery of his weapon.
"One thing good about Toruri is that he's already mastered the art of his weapon to the point of being able to think the commands of his weapon," Fuyu noted. "Not saying your attacks is a good skill to have in combat."
As the smoke cleared, Shimisu called out to Toruri, his voice cutting through the haze.
"Toruri!"
Emerging from the smoke, Toruri's weapon surged forward, halting abruptly in mid-air before reverting to its normal hue. Its jaws parted, unleashing a fiery projectile aimed directly at Shimisu. However, upon impact, the fireball dissipated without leaving a single burn.
Shimisu's confusion was palpable. "What was that? THAT ATTACK DIDN'T EVEN LEAVE ONE BURN ON ME!"
Toruri's response was swift and decisive. "It wasn't an attack, it was a distraction!"
Seizing the opportunity, Toruri's weapon ensnared Shimisu's left shoulder with its jaws, immobilizing him.
"I can't move? What is this ability?!" Shimisu exclaimed, his movements restricted by the unexpected paralysis.
"No abilities! Beakuruo's teeth can passively inject a venom that can paralyze opponents," Toruri explained calmly, capitalizing on his weapon's hidden capabilities.
Realizing his disadvantage, Shimisu attempted to retaliate by targeting Toruri's weapon. With a swift motion, he directed a burst of magic towards the chain, triggering a small explosion that sent Toruri's weapon flying. However, in the chaos, the jaws of the weapon tore off a chunk of Shimisu's shoulder.
As the ground beneath Toruri began to glow with an icy blue light, Shimisu's expression shifted to one of desperation.
"No—" he began, but it was too late.
With determination in his eyes, Toruri unleashed his newly devised attack.
"Now! My newly created attack! It might seem like I use fire magic more than I use ice magic, but you're wrong. Ice magic: Ice spike apocalypse!"
In response, the ground erupted with icy spikes, hurtling towards Shimisu with unstoppable force. Despite his efforts, Shimisu found himself unable to evade the onslaught, bracing himself for the inevitable impact.
Toruri's eyes widened in surprise as Shimisu's explosive maneuver propelled him forward with incredible speed.
"Shimisu!—I mean... idiot," Toruri exclaimed, momentarily thrown off by the unexpected turn of events.
As Shimisu soared into the sky, he couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. However, his victory was short-lived as he found himself surrounded by a forest of towering ice spikes, emerging from all directions—including from beneath him.
"My escape plan worked! Wait, what was his attack again?" Shimisu pondered, his moment of triumph quickly fading.
Before he could react, he collided with one of the massive ice spikes, his momentum abruptly halted as he crashed to the ground below.
"One thing I've learned from fighting you, Toruri, is to not take them all on. Take all of them out!" Shimisu declared, determination burning in his eyes.
With a burst of fiery energy, Shimisu unleashed a powerful explosion, obliterating the ice spikes in a spectacular display of force. However, the impact of the explosion sent him crashing into the ground, his shoulder bearing the brunt of the damage.
"Ouch, well at least it wasn't a giant ice spike from the ground!" Shimisu remarked, his voice tinged with pain as he rose to his feet, brushing off the dirt and dust from his clothes.
Undeterred by his injury, Shimisu returned his focus to the fight, his determination unwavering.
"Back to the fight—OW, MY SHOULDER!" he exclaimed, blood dripping from his arm.
Taiyo's reassuring words "Don't worry, I can heal you after the match ends" calmed Shimisu's nerves, his resolve strengthening at the promise of healing after the match.
"That's all I needed to hear, sir," Shimisu replied, determination gleaming in his eyes.
With renewed vigor, Shimisu launched himself forward once more, a small explosion propelling him towards Toruri with astonishing speed.
"EXPLOSION PUNCH!" he shouted, hurtling towards Toruri with the intent to strike.
However, just as quickly as he had approached, Shimisu's attack shifted, his hand touching Toruri's chest before executing a swift back-flip over him, landing gracefully behind his opponent.
Toruri's determination blazed in his eyes as he faced Shimisu's onslaught head-on. Despite the devastating explosion that had engulfed him moments before, he refused to back down.
As Shimisu unleashed his explosive magic, coating Toruri's skin in a fiery orange hue, Toruri gritted his teeth against the pain. The multiple explosions covering his body obscured him in a cloud of smoke, but his resolve remained unshaken.
With a defiant roar, Toruri summoned his inner strength, refusing to succumb to the overwhelming force of Shimisu's attack. Gathering his remaining energy, he unleashed a powerful beam of fire at Shimisu, his determination driving the attack to curve and strike his opponent from an unexpected angle.
Seizing a nearby piece of rubble, Toruri infused it with his enhancement aura, transforming it into a deadly projectile. With a swift motion, he hurled the enhanced rock at Shimisu's stomach, sending him reeling backward.
But Toruri wasn't finished yet. With newfound determination, he launched himself into the air, unleashing a barrage of fireballs at Shimisu, each one fueled by his unwavering resolve.
Ryoshi watched in awe as Toruri unleashed his relentless assault, marveling at his friend's unwavering determination in the face of adversity.
Fuyu nodded in approval, impressed by Toruri's resilience and fighting spirit.
"Toruri might be in trouble," Fuyu remarked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Hopefully he pulls through," Ryoshi replied, his eyes fixed on the fierce battle unfolding before him.
In the midst of the clash between Shimisu and Toruri, tension hung thick in the air like a shroud of uncertainty. Shimisu's lips curled into a contemptuous smirk, a silent scoff escaping him.
With a swift motion, Shimisu unleashed a surge of magic, hurling a luminous ball towards one of Toruri's outstretched wings. The impact sent Toruri staggering backward, but with a deft grace, he managed to land firmly on his feet.
"Explosion magic: Air mines," Shimisu declared, his voice dripping with confidence.
An enormous orb of fiery orange energy soared skyward from his outstretched hand, before fragmenting into multiple smaller spheres that encircled Toruri menacingly.
"It's time to end this," Shimisu declared, his gaze unwavering.
But Toruri, undeterred, summoned his weapon with a resolute cry. "Beakurou!"
"How many times do I have to say this, I'll send it all back!" Toruri retorted, his resolve burning bright.
"You've said that twice," Shimisu taunted, a hint of amusement lacing his words.
"SHUT UP!" Toruri snapped, his frustration palpable.
With a fierce determination, Toruri swung his weapon in a wide arc, its jaws devouring the floating mines with voracious hunger. Within moments, the mines vanished into the weapon's maw, poised for a counterattack.
"Take this as a parting gift," Toruri growled, unleashing a mighty strike towards Shimisu.
The weapon's jaws latched onto Shimisu's arm, but to Toruri's dismay, his adversary remained unscathed amidst the ensuing explosion.
"Not trying to burst your bubble, but I'm immune to explosion magic," Shimisu revealed with a smirk. "That's why that massive explosion didn't hurt me."
"What!?" Toruri exclaimed, disbelief coloring his features.
"Now, time to officially end this," Shimisu declared, his tone cool and collected. "Explosion magic: BOOM PELLET!"
A swirling orb of crimson and obsidian energy hurtled towards Toruri, erupting into a dazzling explosion upon impact. Toruri crumpled to the ground, consciousness slipping away.
"The winner by faint it, Shimisu," Taiyo announced, the tension in the arena finally dissipating.
As the dust settled, Ryoshi and Fuyu exchanged a glance, their determination unyielding.
"Wow... He actually lost," Ryoshi remarked, a note of surprise in his voice.
"That's fine, Ryoshi. We still have one more round to prove ourselves! Isn't that right, Kuroshi?" Fuyu replied, his resolve unshaken.
Kuroshi's response was succinct, a crisp affirmation of readiness. "Yessir," she acknowledged, her voice resolute.
"Sani, it's time for you to shine like the sun you are," Taiyo proclaimed, pride resonating in his words.
"Thank you, father," Sani replied, determination gleaming in her eyes.
Ryoshi's attention shifted suddenly, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Do this, Kuroshi—wait... who's that beside you, Fuyu?" he queried, a hint of bewilderment in his tone.
"Beside me? There's someone beside me?" Fuyu echoed, his gaze darting around before settling on an unexpected figure.
"AH! Sukesan," he exclaimed, surprise coloring his voice.
"Hey, Fuyu. I'm here to investigate," Sukesan explained casually, his presence a sudden revelation.
"No, you're here to support your daughter," Furia interjected, his tone tinged with amusement.
"AH! FURIA!!! Why are you here?" Sukesan exclaimed, caught off guard by Furia's unexpected appearance.
"I don't know... Something isn't right," Furia admitted, a sense of foreboding lingering in his words.
"Huh... KUROSHIIIIIIIIII, you can do this!" Sukesan cheered, rallying behind Kuroshi with unwavering enthusiasm.
"The round will start! Prepare yourselves," Taiyo announced, his voice commanding as the tension in the arena mounted once more.