Chapter 4 - Chapter 53-1: Cherry and Crow - Distance (1)

(Republished chapter from Book 1, split in two to adhere to the website's character limit)

Noah took a few seconds of looking at Genesis pointed at him to properly process the words Lucy had shot. This was nothing like all the sparring sessions she and him had throughout the weeks of him living in Soula. A duel...was more serious.

"And that means...she wants to get serious against me. This is..."

A smile crept up on his lips. A shaky little thing.

"...perfect."

-Lucy, seriously?- Mercedes called out- I'm all up for regular sparring, but are you sure you should be getting any more serious than that so close to our departure?

-I accept.- Noah cut her off, summoning Warrior's Heart and pointing it back at Lucy.

-Noah, come on! You must understand that if you get injured, you won't go on the raid!- White Feather protested - I don't know if there's some feud between you two, but it's really not smart to do this now! Save it for after we defeat the Order!

-Don't worry, Cidy.- Lucy said, not looking at her, still smirking towards Noah- We're not fighting to kill and not nearly as serious as when your brother went to fight against Noah in the Arena. We're going to set up some ground rules and I'll even give Munchkin here a handicap, because I'm soooo generous~

Noah's brow furrowed at the thought of a handicap, but he let her keep talking. Lucy relaxed her grip on Genesis, stabbing it on the ground. She then raised her left hand and her index finger.

-One: we're going to play by submission rules. You remember when I taught you this in the desert against Angus, right? First one to pin the opponent down to ground or wall and/or place their Blades near their neck before saying "Duel over" wins. You're not allowed to kill, but aside from that, knock yourself out and get as serious as you want.

"Two: this is regarding your handicap. From what the Masters told me about your progress, this Astral Blossom needs some setup. If I see it coming, I'll let you prepare it at your leisure. Charge it up aaaallll you like~" she winked.

Noah, on the other hand, did not seem very satisfied.

-I don't need that handicap, Lucy, I can charge it up fine by myself--

Noah's protests were cut off as he felt something tap the side of his neck. Eyes wide, he looked to the side to see Lucy's stretched fingers tap his neck, the blonde woman already behind him.

-Believe me: you're going to need this handicap, or else this will be a waste of time. Don't forget who you're up against, sweetie.- she said, the smile on her face ever-present, but her tone was anything but amicable.

Noah let out a sigh, lightly shoving her hand to the side and backing away from her.

-Fine, I accept your terms.- he said.

-Smashing, dear.- Lucy grinned, leaning forward and zipping past the boy in an instant, already back near Genesis. She picked up the sword and pointed it towards Noah again- Place your Blade against mine. This is a formal duel start widely accept across Gaia. You tap Blades together and then jump back, go forward, whatever floats your boat. The duel starts 5 seconds after the moment of the tap. That way, each BladeMasters is allowed to immediately go to whatever distance most suits them, fair and square.

-Understood.- Noah said. He pulled down his goggles over his scarlet eyes and then walked up to Lucy and raising Warrior's Heart to tap its side against Genesis'.

*CLINK*

*TOOMPH*

A dry sound ringed in Noah's ears. The blonde locks near his forehead were brushed aside by Lucy's platinum hair.

Five.

As they both stood almost on top of each other, lurching forward, foreheads pressed against each other's.

Four.

A grin plastered itself across Lucy's face as both bodies began pushing against each other, the soles of their shoes kicking against the dusty ground of the mercenaries' training area, like two bulls locking horns.

-Little rascal...trying to start right up close and personal..? I feel harassed~! Ever heard of personal space?- she asked.

Three.

-I could ask the same thing of you, Lucy. We both had the same idea, after all.- Noah replied, smirking as well.

Two.

-Well, aren't we just soulmates.- her grin widened and Noah could feel her killer intent crashing down upon him again. Like a weighted blanket being draped over him, it was nearly overwhelming.

But he'd get used to it.

One.

He'd have to.

Zero.

At the start mark, both BladeMasters jumped back. Noah focused the translucent Astral Soul around Warrior's Heart. Tightening his grip, the aura became complete. He burst forth towards Lucy, who reeled Genesis back and swung it down towards the boy.

Both Blades clashed with a loud "CLANG", becoming, for a fraction of a second, glued to each other as their wielders tried to gain momentum and win the clash.

But it was useless. Noah soon felt the strength on his legs leaving him, causing the blonde boy to be sent back, the soles of his boots dragging along the ground, the arm with which he held his Blade pushed back, shaking.

He wasn't strong enough for frontal clashes. At the moment, his Astral Soul training allowed him to reach the first aura almost on instinct and the second aura required only half a second to focus, but he lacked Axel's smooth, perfect control of soul power, so Noah could only focus the complete aura around one limb or around Warrior's Heart. And it was still a trial and a half to keep the aura from dispelling, so it wasn't like he could re-coat the rest of his body with the incomplete aura in the meantime.

Even if he could, it would take far too much focus and soul power for that mix to be viable in battle. At the moment, the aura around his Blade was equal to roughly the 30% of soul power "Tal" told him was the upper limit of what he could control. And seeing how hard it was to maintain, Noah could confirm that going any further with that would be detrimental to his Backlash. The soul power he could channel for the incomplete, full-body coating, aura was about a third of that limit. So, even if he could attack Lucy with a mix of auras, his body's core, arms and legs wouldn't be strong enough to push forward and win any clashes. She was just that more physically powerful than him.

And trying to fudge around with percentages would only increase the risk of Noah's "water" going over the lids he had built around his "tube", to use Tal's metaphor.

"So, the only way I'm going to reach Lucy is to swing at her with the fully strengthened Warrior's Heart. Reaching some sort of blind spot is going to be what I'll coat my legs for."

With that, he subsided the aura around Warrior's Heart completely and shifted the focus to his legs. The translucent aura soon coated them and he zoomed forward towards and awaiting, smirking Lucy. Once he got near her, he leaned to the side, his body's shape but a blur as he began circling around her at high speed!

Lucy, though, wasn't displaying nearly as much seriousness into the duel. She began lazily spinning in place, her eyes going from left to right back and forth as she tried to keep up with Noah's speed as he picked up a ring of dust around her.

-Oh me oh my, you've gotten so fast, Noah! I can barely follow you with my eyes. But, if I stop to focus on your killer intent...

She then suddenly jerked her Blade behind her back.

"CLINK"

Like glue, Noah's Warrior's Heart was stuck to the side of Genesis, the boy having leapt at her and now just floating in the air in that brief moment of contact, eyes wide in shock.

-...you're still as slow as a snail.- she said, turning towards Noah, grabbing her longsword with both her hands and jerking it upwards, tossing the boy away again. He fell on the ground with a thud, but quickly spun around himself and jumped back on his feet, looking at her with a confused look.

He quickly grit his teeth, though, and jumped right back into the fray. Circling around her, trying to feint the older woman, just to be caught by slow, lazy parries from her Blade, like she could predict where he was coming from! Pushed back over and over, sweat beginning to pool on his brow, Noah's entire game plan was falling in front of his eyes and he couldn't understand why.

-'Kay, my turn~!- she grinned, before leaning forward and running towards Noah, raising her sword above her head.

And Noah just shook in place. His feet glued to the ground as a look of desperation dawned on his face. It was like she had already stabbed him through the heart and she was still about 5 meters away from him. The fear that she could, somehow, instill on him even before she even stroke...it was incomprehensible. Was the gap between them still that utterly gigantic, he thought.

Once Lucy got close, she swung Genesis down upon him. At the last second, Noah managed to react. He raised Warrior's Heart parallel to his face, holding it with a hand on the handle and the other on the side of the blade facing away from the attack, successfully blocking the megaton chop from Lucy.

Immediately afterwards, he could feel his knees buckling, his legs shaking and his boots sinking into the solid, dusty ground. It was like she had dropped the piano on the Academy theater on him! She wasn't even using Astral Soul, nor the silver power of Nexus! 

"How could she be so strong?!"

His Blade began shaking in his hands and she kept pushing hers against it. He had to think, fast, or else she would break through Warrior's Heart and sink her sword on his shoulder!

"Wait..! I do have something I can use, even at this distance!"

The complete aura around Warrior's Heart began shining brightly around his Blade. Noah quickly shifted his hand that was grabbing the sword's blade to join the other on the handle.

"It's going to be messy, but it's my only option! A super close range..."

- Astral Wave !!!- he shouted, a surge of energy coming out of his Blade, light enveloping the area as an explosion consumed it. A thick cloud of dust emerged from the site and soon two figures burst from it.

The first was Lucy, who landed softly back on the ground. She looked at herself. Her skirt had some light scratches here and there, superficial stuff. Meanwhile, her fingerless black gloves were a little more banged up, the fingers and palms below them a little red. Her left index finger's nail was cracked.

-Well, sure, if all else fails just go full ape and attack with everything at super close range! But don't expect to leave that unscathed, Noah!- she grinned.

As the dust settled, the result of Noah's desperate action was shown: the boy stood, panting, his clothes burn and torn all over, the hands shakily holding his blade dripping with blood. Dust covered his sweat-coated face, his eyes hazy below the goggle's lenses and his lips parted, mouth gasping for air.

But he still pointed his Blade at Lucy. His stare still determined to continue.

In the meantime, Mercedes, who leaned against the wall of the Angel's Crow HQ, watching the fight with a cross-armed pout, was soon receiving some company.

-So, Lucy challenged Noah?- Merceny said as he had appeared from the dorms, attracted by the noise outside- Great idea. Might as well line us all up and tell us to jump off the Northern Wall if she wants to injure us so badly before the big day.

-I know, right?! Stupid battle-loving prideful doofuses...- his sister growled.

-If she had been in such a duel-giving mood when I got out of the hospital...gah, it's so unfair..! Maybe he'll go down quickly and I can get her while she's got the engine running...- he huffed, causing White Feather to groan and shake her head.

-Gods, I forgot you're the biggest battle-loving proud doofus of them all...

Merceny pouted, but looked towards his fellow Brigade members. Then his eyes stopped at Noah's hunched body.

-But even so...I hope he doesn't lose too quickly. I want to see just how strong this new technique of his actually is.- he said.

-Didn't you go watch his exam? Sure, it wasn't battle focused and he has been refining it further since, but still, you'd get a pretty good idea of what it is.- Mercedes said.

A small smile crept up on Merceny's lips.

-Nah, why bother? A technique's full potential can only be seen while in battle, not some paltry exam. -Mercedes coughed a "That you didn't really ace"- Now that he's face to face with a monster like Lucy...its potential should shine even brighter than it ever has before.

Back at the battle, Noah lowered his Warrior's Heart. Like he had read Black Feather's mind somehow, he braced himself, dispelling his Blade.

-I'm going to make full use of that handicap now, Lucy.- he said, between panting- Just don't get surprised when it turns out to be more than you bargained for.

Lucy smirked.

-Oh believe me, nothing would make me happier than if it was actually something that completely wrecked me. New, unsuspecting challenges are a treat to face when you reach the summit like I have done.

Noah smirked back.

-The summit? I'm going to enjoy wiping that smug grin off your face, missy!- he grinned.

The boy then coated his body in the incomplete Astral soul aura. Raising his right arm, the translucent power gathered all around it.

Clenching his fist, the aura shook and began stirring. Faster and faster, beginning to gain a thicker consistency and beginning to show an array of colors, like a rainbow. The colors soon became thicker as well, the complete, determined aura of Astral Soul complete.

He then raised his left arm, palm open towards the ground. The earth beneath the spot his palm pointed to cracked slightly. Orange sparks began coating his member, a thin sizzling sound reaching Lucy's ears.

Finally, he sunk his feet firmly into the ground, before bringing his left palm into his right fist. Clapping them together, he gyrated his hips to his right side a bit as he tensed up. The sparks moved his left arm into the aura of his right arm, a bright light beginning to fill the area as the aura flared up!

With sparks spotted throughout it, the aura rose high into the sky. 

The ground beneath Noah's feet began to shake and crack, a ring of dust forming around his body.

And then, the sparks sunk into the Astral Soul aura, giving it a soft pink coloration. Noah clenched his fist and palm harder against each other, the new aura rising up even higher as he focused his soul power further and further. 

Slowly, his arm shaky, Noah let go of his left hand, carefully raising his right hand over to Lucy, the thick aura burning fiercely around his arm.

"Even if the balance is slightly skewed towards the Astral Soul, this is the best result I've ever produced! With this technique...I can close the gap between you and me, Lucy. Even without the Gaia Blade or the Potential! I can reach you.

I can beat you...

All by myself!!!"

He glared at Lucy, reeling his hand back and then shoving it back forward towards her!

- "Bloom"! Astral Blossom! - he shouted, the pink aura shooting out of his arm, with so much force that it nearly sent the boy stumbling backwards. As it raced towards Lucy, it began shifting, turning from an incorporeal aura into the countless petals, tearing through the ground like it was nothing, surging and crashing like a wave as it approached the Grim Reaper, towering above her--

- Dawn Surge. 

And then all Noah could see was white.

As his technique, that he worked to hard to obtain, was engulfed by the silver explosion, created by a casual wave of Lucy's hand. Debris flew all around him, but Noah didn't seem to notice as he stared, dumbfounded, at where his Astral Blossom should be, but now was only occupied by a cloud of smoke, silver sparks seen here and there, fluttering out of it, like they were mocking his own fluttering petals, imposing their presence over Noah's creation.

But even so...

Through his hazy eyes, though, he could see it.

Nearly dissipating into pink dust...

A singular petal.

His eyes immediately regained focus. Astral Soul coated his legs as he jumped high towards the cloud of smoke, reaching out for the lone petal that had survived Lucy's technique. Grabbing it and clenching his right fist tight, he brought it towards his left palm again and began charging up another attempt, while still airborne. Half a second later, the pink aura was already flaring up around his arm.

"I should have expected this level of power from Lucy, but what a rude awakening!

But even so, as long as a single petal persists.

I can still redo it!"

-It's not over yet, Lucy!- he shouted at the smoke. Soon the dust cloud began shifting as well as it began moving away from Noah and converging all in one place.

Soon Noah could see the silver aura coating Lucy's hand, similarly to the way he charged up his own technique.

And he could also see her ever-present smile, seemingly mocking him, as she looked up at the boy.

"Incredible! I'm guessing that, if you use a blossom you already spawned as base, you can mitigate the soul power usage and recycle this Astral Blossom?" she thought "To have created a technique that even accounts for his constant need to work around the Backlash...amazing!"

A big grin splashed across her face.

-Guess I'll just have to completely destroy it this time, then! Now, once again, with feeling...Dawn Surge !- she shouted, shoving her palm towards Noah, a surge of a silver, plasma-like, wave shooting towards Noah, who himself pointed his hand towards Lucy. A second Astral Blossom shot out and both attacks clashed, a loud "BOOM" erupting and reverberating throughout Soula!

A nearby window opened.

-COULD YOU KEEP IT DOWN! It's 2 pm, some people are trying to sleep over here!- Zeke yelled from his dorm room window, before noticing what was ensuing- W-whoa...

-What's happening here?!- Axel's voice was heard as he, with Guy nervously following closely behind, exited the dorm, attracted by the noise. 

Soon, even Eldus appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, a glow on the Enchant Stone of his staff slowly fading away. His robes and beard flapping about as he looked at the battle in shock.

-Noah...- he let out, a concerned look on his face.

As he looked towards the clash. Noah and Lucy projected both their attacks towards each other, a flood of petals coming from Noah's hand being engulfed by the light leaving Lucy's. The poor boy held on for dear life, still suspended in the air, as the sheer force of the attack threatened to send him flying back again, the rate at which he launched the razor sharp petals being much slower than Lucy's beam.

He did his best to keep applying his weight down towards Lucy, but it was like a magnet was pushing him away. And he knew that, if he relented, the light from the Dawn Surge would consume him and end the battle.

His eyes squinted, trying to look into the source of light coming from Lucy's palm, trying to figure out some kind of opening, a weakness or even limit to the amount of power Lucy could produce..! But he saw nothing that could kindle his hopes, Lucy's beam unrelenting, slowly making its way through his stream of petals, either turning them to dust, or sending them flying to the sides--

"Wait!"

Noah's eyes shot towards the wayward petals. For a fraction of a second, he could see it!

A twinkle on each one of them!

His mind returned to Aireen, as his petals destroyed the leg of the Nuria Colossus.

"The Astral Blossom's main strength isn't raw power...it's the ability to shave away at everything it comes in contact with! And that include's Lucy's Element! Each petal that is surviving the clash is taking with it a piece of Lucy's Dawn Surge..! So it is  possible! 

I can shave away at her attack and make my way through it!"

The boy held onto his wrist, gritting his teeth hard, a grunt of effort leaving his mouth as he kept pushing and producing more Blossom. The force that pushed him back was unrelenting. He felt his insides getting crushed, but even so, kept at it.

"It's not as strong as hers, but it's working! I just have to keep at it! 

This technique can do it! I made it, after all! The great warrior Tera trusts!

I did it!

Me!

ME!"

A roar erupted from his mouth as she leaned his entire body towards the clash, a surge of pink aura engulfing his arm, and soon, Lucy's Surge. 

And soon, the light that the clashed produced expanded, eventually consuming both Lucy and Noah. The Angel's Crow HQ's rickety building shook and some of the dorm windows began to crack, causing Zeke, who was leaning out of his window to wobble and fall backwards into his room.

"I guess...

I've always been pretty strong, after all, huh?"

 *

With a clink, the object fell on the ground, dust covering it. 

And throughout the rest of the ensuing clash, it was completely forgotten.

The clear blue skies presented the sun to it, its glow shining upon the two orange lenses, uninterrupted. Left by the wayside, pushed away by the shockwave, Noah's goggles, given by Terri T., would watch the rest of the duel. 

A bright sun shining down upon them.

 *

Noah landed harshly on the ground of the mercenaries' training fields. Guided by the instinct of his many battles, he rolled on himself and quickly regained his footing. He looked towards his opponent, dust and sweat covering his face, his mouth agape and gasping for air.

But his lips, much like Lucy's...

Were curled up in a huge, satisfied smile.

Ignoring the pain of his right arm, the sleeve that had covered it completely blown off, revealing the bandages he got from his Astral Blossom training, the boy kept grinning to himself. A big happy smile. A smile that, even if he lost the duel, wouldn't go away from his soul.

He had tied with Lucy. The Grim Reaper stood in front of him, her right hand's glove completely blown off too, a small cut form his petals here and there on her slender arm. She looked at her damaged fingers, shaking it off with a sigh.

-I'll be...you actually managed to shave away enough of my Surge to actually hit me. Incredible progress, indeed...- she giggled, her smile wide, showing off her pearly whites to Noah- Then, I guess...

Noah could suddenly feel a cold wave washing over him. He immediately tensed up as Lucy leaned her upper body towards him, her eyes widening and her smile now exhibiting an unsettling light. Noah couldn't help but keep returning his own smirk at her.

-...I can wrap up the warm-ups.- she said, before she completely vanished from his sight.

Suddenly Noah could feel something just decking him on his right cheek, his feet leaving the ground and sending his body flying backwards!

Before he could even process the pain, he felt his collar being pulled forward. The world became a blur as the boy's body was spun around like a rag doll, being thrown high up in the air. His mind spinning, he'd try to correct himself and regain his bearings, but a blunt object sunk into his back, sending him careening back towards the earth.

But before his face could even have the luxury of eating dirt, it was met with some kind of black object. For a split second, Noah could recognize the pattern, identifying it as Lucy's boots. As a strong force crashed against his face, he was promptly kicked to the ground, his body lying there, motionless.

"Well...back to old patterns." he thought with a groan. His body being tossed around by a speedy Lucy was nothing new, it was his routine, after all. But this time, she didn't even let him process his surrounding before knocking him down! Yeah, she usually stepped things up as he slowly got stronger, that was how things worked ever since he began training with her. But this time, his brain was spinning like a top..! If he hadn't instinctively coated his entire body with the incomplete Astral Soul, he'd be out cold, he knew it.

-Wwwweeellllll, IIIIIIIII gooooooo a lil faaaasssstteeerrrrr aaaaannddddd thiissssss iiisssss whaaaattt happpeeennnnssss? Geeeezzzz...- Lucy's voice sounded like it was coming from deep underwater. His brain was really rattled. But even so, he could then feel the sheer sharpness of the tip of Genesis hovering over the back of his neck, making his skin crawl. He remembered the conditions for the duel and, while his mind was still spinning, he clenched the ground with hands and feet, rolled to the side and jumped back, getting away from her.

Adrenaline restarted its pumping throughout his body. While his eyes fought to regain focus and his body to regain balance, the clear Astral Soul coated his body. The shape that he could perceive was Lucy dissipated once more from in front of him. And soon, hit him again, a blunt force sinking into his stomach, making the boy stumble back, trying to hold his lunch inside his belly.

"I can't see her..! All I can do is strengthen my whole body to dull her attacks...but even so..!"

But even so, the ensuing hits that crashed upon his torso, legs, arms, back and face hurt like he had had Albus' blacksmithing hammer come down upon him. The world around him just wouldn't stop spinning, reduced to blurs and shapes as Lucy's beatdown was merciless and unrelenting, not giving him time to catch his breath as he, almost drunkenly, stumbled back and forth and side to side inside the two meter radius he was afforded.

Her words regarding his handicap returned to his mind, amidst the beating. The boy only then understood the twisted caveat hidden within her words.

"She'll give me time to charge up the Blossom if she sees it coming.

But all rules are off if I can't bring myself to start it in the first place.

What sick sense of humor!"

Meanwhile, Terri, Sobek and a handcuffed Allie joined the spectators, dressed in yoga pants and a tanktop, she had managed to get second-handedly from the mercenaries. And even the Masters were approaching the HQ, having run off their dojo once they felt the clash. They all watched as Noah's body was pummeled from all sides by the blur that Lucy's body had become, not even letting the boy fly away, denying him any respite.

-Gods, this is a bit much, no? Is this what passes by a "duel" here in Soula? She's beating him to death..!- Allie gulped, her face a bit pale as her eyes passed by everyone, seeking justification as to why no one was stepping in to stop the fight.

Merceny didn't look at her, his arms crossed as he kept watching the fight.

-You're right: this is what's normal over here. But you shouldn't see it as Lucy's cruelty when it comes to duels. If you look carefully, you'll see that she's holding back. Which, in a way, is more insulting than cruel.

-What do you...- Allie looked back towards the fight. Squinting, she focused her view. An Elite of her experience, perceiving the battle for longer than a passing glance, soon began to see Lucy's figure slowing down and taking shape. She could see her fists and boots, still moving at an incredible speed, but not so fast that they were indistinguishable anymore. Coated by a mix of the silver and dark auras of Nexus, Lucy's members did indeed move towards Noah's body...but only to graze by or not reach him at all. 

What was actually hitting him were the shockwaves that her fearsome punches and kicks let out. To someone of Noah's level, being hit by the after-effect of those attacks would feel like being more pushed a bit harshly, than actually be punched of kicked for real.

-Serious duel or not, Lucy is still the strongest BladeMaster in Gaia. And you and I both know that this isn't just her boasting or the exaggerated retelling of her exploits throughout the continent. -Merceny continued- Four years ago, not long after creating the Angel's Crow, the whole world recognized her great power and gave her the title of "strongest". Compared to Noah, who couldn't even keep up with a Terri who was holding herself back throughout most of their fight, the difference between him and Lucy isn't just a gap. It's a giant chasm. So, of course she can't hit him for real. Not with her fists and certainly not with her Blade. If she did that, Noah would most certainly die. As would anyone she duels with. I've been challenging her ever since I joined this guild and still haven't gotten to the level where she'll actually hit me when she employs her Element to fight in a "serious" battle.

-So the gap between her and the famous Black Feather is still that giant. Incredible...Seeing her fight live instead of watching her on TV is completely different.- Allie said with a huff- As a BladeMaster, it annoys me, really. Get me in a ring with her and I'll show her...

-Believe me, I share the feeling. But you'll have to go after me.- Black Feather pointed at himself- This fight is nearly over anyways and I'm next in line.

-Heh...- Gee's voice was then heard as he leaned against the wooden wall of the HQ with- I wouldn't count Noah out just yet. You should know better than anyone, Ciny. His ability to adapt in battle is second to none. Me and Rye have trained him, so we know that well. Even if he's taking a beating now, I just know he'll come up with a way to turn this around!

-Surprisingly, I agree with Master Gee.- Mercedes smiled- We've both fought him, Brother. Don't wrap this battle up just yet. And I know Lucy knows that as well, or else she wouldn't be drawing this battle out. 

White Feather looked back at the battle.

-She's waiting for him to figure her out.- she said.

Knocked back by yet another punch, Noah stood, huffing and puffing, thick beads of sweat dripping down his face. Lucy's attacks hurt like the dickens, but even he knew that she wasn't hitting him seriously. She hadn't even drawn blood yet (although he feared that his face would be swollen in the next morning). He looked at her with a determined glare, the Grim Reaper stopping to smirk at him, hands on hips.

-You look a little tired, dear Noah! Do you want to take a break?- she cackled.

Noah managed to muster up his own smile yet again.

-The way you're hitting me, I could keep going all day. - he replied.

-Well, you have your training with the Masters and Terri to thank for your improved stamina and defenses. Your full-body coating of Astral Soul hasn't waned yet, proving a bit of cushion for my punches. If you couldn't keep that up, you'd have already taken a ticket to Snooze Land, even if I *am* just grazing you.

"But you're going to need the complete aura to compete with the similar type of boost Nexus gives to my strength and speed. I reckon that if I hit an area protected by that, it wouldn't hurt you a whole bunch. Now, the issue is knowing where I'm going to hit you, isn't it?"

Lucy then stretched her arms, like she had just gotten out of bed.

-To be honest, knocking you around isn't something I want to dedicate the rest of the day into. Sooooo, if you don't adapt, I'll just have to end the duel here...as well as your contribution for the Brigade.- she said, her smile vanishing.

Noah's did too. He shook his head, the world finally regaining balance for the dizzy boy.

-You're welcome to try. You've always bet on my potential to help me through all my battles, right? And it's going to be here again, don't worry. So come at me, Lucy! If you don't knock me out now, I'll eventually catch up with you!

And with that, he taunted her with his own daring grin. 

A grin that, for a second, brought a wave of nauseous nostalgia for the platinum-haired woman. She closed her eyes and, for a brief moment, his voice flashed inside her mind.

A cold and cruel cackle. A pair of golden eyes sneering at her under the mask.

"Dead and buried, Grim Reaper! Cry for me now, hahahaha!"

Lucy shook those thoughts off.

"Why am I thinking about that masked freak now? Noah isn't like that!

I...know he isn't. Flaunting his powers like that..!

And that's why...I must show him the distance between him and the top!"

Inhaling quickly, Lucy leaned forward, disappearing again. Noah tensed up, ready for an attack, but now it wasn't coming. Brief sounds of dirt being kicked off reached his ears, but they were much too fast to use to track where Lucy was. Not even that, they were coming from all around him!

He circled around himself, but wherever he looked, the fields were empty.

"She's circling around me, just like I did at the start of the fight! Except she's much quicker, I can't even catch a passing blur---"

Before he could even finish the thought, he felt something smacking the back of his head, causing him to stumble forwards. He looked behind himself, but there was nothing there. And then, he felt something pushing his shoulder, causing the boy to stumble to the side now. Not even bothering to hit him, Lucy kept pushing the boy around, taunting him, like she was telling him that, at his level, all an opponent can do is toy with him.

Which pissed the scarlet-eyed youth off, but he knew he had to keep his cool. His brain went into high gear, trying to conjure up a solution, even as he was being pushed around.

"She's right, I'm not quick enough in shifting the complete Astral Soul around to the area I want to protect. For that, I have to conjure enough 'killer intent' on said area and it takes a brief moment to gather that type of focus..! But she's going so fast, I don't know where she's going to hit me! 

So the first order of business should be to keep track of her. Is there anyway to slow her down? Maybe kick up some dirt...hinder her movements...

No, no, she'll just dodge! She has complete control of the battlefield! So...the solution must lie within me! 

Should I apply the complete aura around my feet, try to move my body quickly as well?

No. I'll go fast, yeah, but I won't be able to see where I'm going. The tunnel vision such speed would create would only work to my disadvantage. And she can easily trip me up and then I'm eating dirt and just asking to be pinned down and put into submission."

He stumbled down, falling onto his butt. He instinctively flinched as he did. But as he reopened his eyes, that simple action sparked an idea on his brain.

"Wait! 'See'! If I can't keep up with her with my feet..!"

He closed his eyes again as he slowly stood back up. Focusing his Astral Soul around them.

And when he opened them, the red irises exhibited a faint glow of the multicolor aura of Astral Soul! 

Lucy's smile.

That was the first thing he could see. As the woman's shape suddenly took form, casually running around him!

"I can see her! Just like I did for the books, focusing Astral Soul around your head increases the speed at which you can see! It's not like it's slowing down time, like I thought, it's just increasing the speed at which your eyes can register information and that which the brain can process said information! 

So a speedy object becomes slower for me!"

His grin returned as he reached out for an approaching Lucy!

"I can reach--"

"BAM!"

Before he could process what had just happened, an invisible force was sinking into his right cheek, sending him flying back again, his body tumbling on the ground. The boy quickly got up, re-focused his eyes and could, once again, see Lucy running towards him!

But as he tried to dodge her strike, it was like his body was sluggish! His eyes and brain could register that he should dodge to the left, for example, but that order would only reach his legs for what it seemed like a solid 3 seconds afterwards. He felt all disjointed, like the rest of his body was moving around in molasses.

"Oh...right." he thought, the reality of the situation crashing down upon him. If he wasn't already being done exactly that by Lucy, he'd smack himself "Of course my body can't react accordingly, it's only my brain that's getting faster, not my legs and arms! Even if I coat the rest in the incomplete aura, the lag between my brain and body will still be too great!"

He immediately disengaged the complete aura from there, promptly returning to square one, although that failure had gotten him much more flustered, so it was getting harder to gather his thoughts as he kept being smacked around. 

"Ugh, this is awful! Is there any other way to be able to keep up with Lucy? Think! She's toying with me because she knows I know a way out of this jam!" he desperately racked his brain around (well, more than she was doing herself), trying to gather all of his past knowledge. 

But even putting the pushing and punching aside, he couldn't properly concentrate! Aside from the sharp feeling of pain all around his body, there was this constant sensation of cold threatening to smother him from all sides. It was making uneasy, nervous, like the air itself was made out of ice cold spikes.

-Noaaaah~!- he could hear Lucy's voice echoing around him- I'm getting pretty tired of running around, so I'mma just finish this duel, 'kay~? 

Noah's eyes widened, his anxiety shooting through the roof, making his body all rigid. Was she getting ready to actually hit him and knock him out?! But from where?! He desperately looked around, but he couldn't catch a trace of her, as she kept circling around to his blind spot! All he could feel was pain and that chilling feeling--

"Wait..! I've felt something like this before! Right before the duel! In Aireen...the tundra...the arena...and the desert, as well!

A crushing feeling that I've only felt from Lucy...

Nexus?

And a cold sensation I've felt from Terri, Merceny, Hanzo, Allie and from Lucy as well..."

Suddenly he felt one a particular section of his body, around his nape, get the chills harder than the rest of his body. He felt...compelled to turn around, like an order to his body from somewhere other than his mind.

And as he did, he could see it.

The black blur that was Lucy's body. 

For a fraction of a second he could see it!

And then all he felt was pain as he was launched back. 

Lucy stopped in her tracks, looking towards the boy. With a smile.

As he laid on the ground with his arms half-raised towards her.

-Ya kinda sorta half-blocked me~- she grinned.

-Yeah...I think I've figured out a way to keep up with you.- he coughed as he shakily stood back up, his eyes still burning brightly- All I have to do is follow the overwhelming feeling of your Element, as well as...your killer intent.

Lucy smirked at him.

-Finally..! I kept giving you time to figure it out, search for all the hints I've been giving you. But yeah, Noah, following your opponent's Element, as well as the instinctual feeling of killer intent your body will pick up on, is essential for a BladeMaster battle. Even if your opponent is speedier than you, if they can't hide their killer intent until the last moment where they must employ it towards their attack, you can easily follow them. All it takes if focus and trusting the instincts your body has been building throughout the many battles it has been through. 

-Yeah...- Noah smirked back- Coupled with Astral Soul in my eyes...heh, I don't think the battle is going to keep being easy for you..!

The woman let out her haughty laugh.

-Hohoho! Them's fighting words! Alrighty! Let's keep going!- she gave a maniacal grin before blasting off again, speeding towards Noah again. The boy tensed up, but immediately remembered to relax and focus.

"The countless battles I've been through...yeah, of course! She's right!

A great warrior like me...my body must be primed from all the battles I had before and after I came to Soula!"

Focusing on the oppressive atmosphere surrounding him, Noah soon felt a spike of cold from the right side..!

"Now's the tricky part!" he thought. He focused Astral Soul in his eyes, moving them and only them towards the spot where he felt the surge of bloodlust coming from. And sure enough, he could see Lucy gearing up to throw a punch at him. He had to remember that, at his level, he only had a split second to react because, even if his eyes made her slower, his body wasn't fast enough to keep up with the perception of his brain.

So, first he disengaged the Astral Soul in his eyes and began moving his focus to each part of his body. First each leg. The complete Astral Soul focused on his right leg, moving it towards Lucy. Then the left leg, in order to adjust himself. Once the legs were turned towards Lucy, he focused the aura on his hips, rotating his torso to the side. And then, finally, to his right arm, which he raised in order to block the pun--

"SMACK!"

Noah's stomach received a fierce blow from the shockwave of Lucy's punch, causing the boy to stumble back, coughing harshly as he couldn't keep its contents inside, causing him to vomit a bit onto the ground. Holding onto his belly, he glared at Lucy, who had stopped for a split second before dissipating again. Wiping his chin off, Noah focused again. 

"Not fast enough! The switch between each body part must be concise! But I also have to know exactly the sequence to take once I see where she's striking from! The moment I turn off the Astral Soul from my eyes, I must already know the order!"

He closed his eyes. Now, he could sense her behind him! 

"Damn, I have to turn around just to confirm and see if she's there! There's not enough time, I have to gues--"

"BAM!"

Sent tumbling back, the boy gasped for air as he recomposed himself. 

"I spent too much time thinking about it! I have to act immediately after I sense her!"

This exchange kept going for the next few minutes. Each time Lucy appeared from a new spot, Noah had to slowly and precisely move the Astral Soul across his body to face her and try to raise his block, but she was much faster every time! He kept just missing her, but slowly but surely, he could raise his arms higher and higher, failing to meet her punch less and less. Until...

"From the front?!"

He focused his aura around his eyes. Indeed he could see her dashing right in front of him, but...

"No killer intent..! It's a feint!" he thought. His eyes darted down to her feet, seeing them turn on their heels, causing Lucy to zip around him, bringing a hand chop right to his neck!

...

Lucy smirked.

-Nice.- she said.

Her fingers were meeting Noah's left arm, coated in the complete aura, which had raised just in time to block her attack. He supported that arm with his right, keeping them both crossed against each other.

-Yet again, your confidence in betting crazy gambits on me is paying off, huh?- Noah smirked right back at her- But I also have to thank you. Thanks for...

"...giving me enough time."

Lucy's eyes widened. As she stood there, her hand meeting Noah's arms, the right arm sparked Tera and began mixing with the aura already present around the left arm.. The boy promptly pushed her off and assumed the stance to recharge the Astral Blossom ! Disgruntled, Lucy had to honor her handicap and jumped away, ready to meet his attack.

Once it was charged, Noah launched another wave of sharp petals towards her, the surge going to hit her dead center!

-Didn't you learn anything?- she asked. Summoning Genesis, she swiped the Blade at the petals, quickly dispersing them in front of her. She then raised her left hand and...

-Twilight Blast. -with a casual downwards wave of her hand, a surge of dark energy appeared from the sky and crashed down upon the scattered petals, turning them into dust.

Noah tsked, but he was already recharging another wave. Upon launching it, though, it was quickly dispatched by either the Blast or Surge. Upon seeing his fifth attempt fail miserably, Lucy not even moving from her spot, Noah engaged the Astral Soul around his left arm and the sparks on his right. He didn't bring his palms together, though, wanting to use the handicap to think on his next move.

"A frontal attack won't work. Her techniques are unrelenting, she's not getting tired at all..! Damn, how can I make the Blossom stronger?!"

 *

-"Why isn't it working"? Simple: the balance is off.- Gee explained to a perplexed Axel.

-The balance...you mean the Astral Soul and Tera, right? But I thought Noah had figured that out already..?- the lilac-haired boy questioned.

-I mean, yeah, he can mix what he has together, but it doesn't mean that the balance is correct. It's like putting too much sugar in for a cake or too much salt and too little gravy on your steak.- the thin Master said, gesticulating as he handled imaginary kitchen utensils.

-Oh, I can relate to that, for sure!!!- Guy piped up, raising his hand- If I don't follow the dosages to the letter, the cake will explode!

-I don't know how you manage to do that by putting in too much sugar into a cake, but sure...-Gee shook his head- But I get what you're confused about, Axel. It seems like Noah has it figured out. He mixes as much Astral Soul as he can with as much Tera as he can. So, the Blossom should, at the very least, shave away a bit of Lucy's casual attacks, if they managed to dismantle Allie's Ultima Soul before.

"But it's not working here. As you can infer, then, the Blossom here is NOT the same as the one he used in Aireen. And that's because the Astral Soul/Tera balance is skewed tremendously towards Astral Soul."

-But like you said, Noah is putting as much Tera as he can into the Astral Soul...Are you saying that they don't match anyways?- Axel protested.

-Yeah, basically. I can tell, without a shadow of a doubt, that Noah's Astral Soul is perfect, at 100% of the boy's current capacity of controllable soul power. Both because it's a complete aura and because he can only put it around one single member. He wouldn't half-ass it and put it just around one member if he could manage more, right?

"But, for Tera, it's different. Astral Soul is easy to manipulate once you get it down because it's physical. It enhances your body and once your body gets tired or hurt, it's a sign that your soul power, which is enhancing it, is running out or not enough. For manipulating Elements, there's so many elemental particles in nature that can be ignited with soul power and turned into elemental power, that a strong mind is necessary, in order to ignite just the ones you need and not overdo it. That external manipulation is what Noah can't do yet, compared to the level of his internal manipulation."

Axel nodded to himself.

-Yeah, he told us before. About how...Tal's voice or some such can take control of his soul network. Only during those times was soul power effectively used, but it was in exchange for Tal taking the wheel on Noah's emotions and even body. I believe he said, while he was training with Jackson for the exam after we returned from Aireen, that his body can take about 30% of his total, dormant soul power, but Noah himself can only control 5% freely.- he explained.

-So...-Gee scratched his chin- Let me put it in a way that maybe you all can understand: if Noah can use 30% of his total soul power before Overloading, then what he's using for the complete Astral Soul around his arm right now is "100%" of that 30%. He can fully utilize the maximum output of his power. And it's easy to control because, to go above those 30% for a physical technique, he'd need an actual stronger body than what he has right now. More stamina, more muscle mass, the such. If he achieved 40%, let's say, his body would collapse from overwork, probably tear muscles or break bones.

"For Elements, it's different since, if you outwardly manipulate more soul power that your physical body can take, your Soul Network breaks down, you start getting the headaches and your Overload, which can lead to a collapse of the Network itself and then death. 

Tell me: how does this Blossom compare to the one he used in Aireen? Do you feel that it is stronger? The same? Weaker?"

Axel took a second to think for himself.

-Duh, it's way weaker now!- Zeke shouted from his window, having listened to the conversation- I can tell. My own brand of training to master Aqua has made me kinda good at feeling out elemental power. I'd say...it's below half of what it was then. Don't you agree with me, Miss Stab-a-loooooot?!

Allie nodded to herself, curling up her lips as she tried to remember the battle.

-Yeah...it doesn't evoke nearly as much dread as it did when it attacked me back in Aireen. Below half is about right, Zeke.

Rye nodded towards Gee.

-That adds up. Right now, Noah's focusing the 5% of Tera he can control into one arm for the Blossom, so it should about double the elemental power he's using. Making it about 10%. 

-Yup! He might be able to handle 30% of elemental power in theory, but he can't go, like I said, "100% of 30%" yet when in comes to summoning Tera. He's using "100% of 10%", really. So, a fully realized 10% mixes with a fully realized 30% and you get..! A subpar Astral Blossom! 

-Wait, wait, wait!- Guy piped up- But he did use the max amount of Tera in Aireen, or else he couldn't have made that powerful Astral Blossom! So how did he do it then?!

-Soul Crash...- Eldus suddenly interjected, arms crossed, his hand clutching his robes' sleeve- I told him he shouldn't use it, and he's not the type to openly disobey me, so it must have been a Burst Soul Crash, seeing as he was in a stressful battle situation.

-But if he uses Soul Crash...he'll Backlash right away!- Guy said.

-Yes. Soul Crash opens up the Soul Network fully. All BladeMasters have limiters on their total soul power. Past a certain percentage, a mental lock achieved through learning your limits in Elemental training activates and you can't go past that. But Soul Crash allows you to temporarily go 100% on your soul power usage. But using that much soul power all the time puts an enormous pressure on your body and if you overdo the Soul Crash, you'll Overload. That's why normal Soul Crashes have hard time limits and why Burst Soul Crashes are so dangerous.

-So...he could only use 30% of his Tera, his current maximum, because he was in Soul Crash..?- Axel asked.

-I believe so. It's a miracle he didn't die right there. He must have built a strong limiter on the 100% mark he painfully experienced when he collapsed months ago, as sort of knee-jerk reaction. But even so, going 40% or 50% would have been enough to leave him bedridden. He's really something, to have been able to carefully reach his flimsy maximum output...

-So basically he needs to use Soul Crash right now if he wants to complete the Astral Blossom, 100% of 30% on both Element and Astral Soul?- Guy asked.

-No...-Gee shook his head, a smile creeping up on his mouth- Because in Aireen he didn't have the focusing method of charging up the Blossom that he has now. He must have summoned it like you summon fire, Guy, all around himself. But now that his one-arm-one-aura method allows him to focus his soul and elemental powers to increase them exponentially...he might actually be able to pull off 30% while not in Soul Crash!

"All that's left...is for him to figure out how to focus his Element in his right arm..!"

 *

Meanwhile, Noah's had reached that same answer. Trying his best to keep his auras under control, while he took full advantage of his handicap, leaving Lucy to yawn in place, Noah's brain was overworking to find a solution to strengthen the Blossom!

"To focus Tera...the answer is simple! Image! Just like in my training with Jackson! I just...have to have a clear image of a stronger Blossom.

Now think...for the one I can do now, the image I have is of the torrent I summoned in Aireen. But it's still not as strong as it was back then. So, what's missing for me to internalize..?"

He clenched his right fist.

"Apply killer intent to Tera..?"

Noah quickly shook his head.

"No, too risky. With Astral Soul, I know where my limits are due to the strain of my muscles. With manipulating Tera, I need to be careful. Applying killer intent will just shoot up the elemental power I produce way over the 30% margin.

Grr...there must exist a solution!"

Lucy sighed loudly as she not-so patiently waited for the boy to make up his mind.

-I'm all up for assessing the situation, but this is getting bo-ri-ng! Do I need to give you a time limit on this as well, mister?!- she shouted.

-Shush!- Noah stuck his tongue out- You gave me this handicap, now sit on it! I can take however dang long I want, as long as I'm still charging the Blossom!

-Watch your tone, mister! Do I need to come over there and apply some corporal punishment?!- she exclaimed.

-I'll give you a Blossom so strong you'll get dizzy! Just gimme a sec!

Racking his gray matter so hard that one could swear steam was coming out of his ears, Noah explored every avenue through which he could add some more...oomph to Tera. Gah, he was having such a fun fight, he shouldn't be interrupting it over something like this! He always managed to adapt, that was the kind of of warrior he was sure he was, so why couldn't he come up with a solution now ?!

"Think...think..! What does the image I have lack?! Size? Sharpness? Maybe the memory of the fatigue and pain I was feeling then? Maybe...maybe how angry I was with Tal! No, no, that's bloodlust, I'd overshoot it...

Mmm...maybe the memory of the constructs Jackson makes! No, that's a completely different technique. I haven't even attempted to do my stone springs again ever since the exams were announced...

Something powerful...Tera related..! Is there anything I can pull from to strengthen my image..?!"

The first memory that suddenly jumped into the foreground of his mind was her perfume.

Then her honey-like voice.

Her gentle voice.

Her strictness, her poutiness, her ditziness and her incredible kindness.

And finally, the gift that she gave her: that rose.

And then, crashing down, came the memory of a few minutes ago, when he was in his room studying the tulip and rose petals! And what he was he trying to nail down..?

"The feeling of the blossoms! That's right! Right now, they're still too much like shards of the Astral Wave, in shape of petals! I thought that studying how the petals bent would just help me make the technique less dangerous for myself, but it should also increase its overall power! If I pump enough Tera to create a torrent of regular, soft petals, in tandem with the Astral Soul that makes up a sharp Astral Wave, I can truly create bladed blossoms!"

With a deep breath, he clenched his right fist. The sparks covering it began shaking. Changing.

"You have a clear image already..." he thought, trying to keep his breathing slow "Remember how soft they feel, how they bend, their aroma...the true consistency of a blossom!"

And then, like magic, the sparks began expending! Small orange embers covered covered his arm, going right up to the shoulder. Once they expanded enough, they united, creating a consistent, flame-like orange aura around his arm, similar to the Astral Soul one that coated his left arm!

With a grin, he clapped his right palm against his left fist, mixing those two auras together. 

And then, a giant deep pink aura flared up around his left arm! Rising high into the sky, the power it emitted was tremendous, cracking the ground below the boy and making the HQ's wooden walls shake, the cracked windows of the dorm creak and the air itself tremble!

Axel, Guy, Mercedes, Gee and Rye (who had a meekly cheering Zeke on his shoulders after he jumped up a couple of stories to grab the sleepy boy) all jumped in ecstasy, cheering Noah on for figuring it out. Terri and Sobek were busy eating popcorn again, Eldus sighed in relief, Merceny looked at it in shocked awe and Allie's complexion was a bit pale as she sighed, clearly not happy to see the technique that almost killed her resurfacing, but she eventually gave out a small smile again.

And Lucy's grin was wide and challenging. She raised her hand, beckoning Noah over.

-Come at me, kiddo.- she smirked.

With that, Noah launched the complete Astral Blossom towards Lucy. It glided across the ground, approaching the Grim Reaper. With a casual wave of her hand, the silver explosion of the Dawn Surge appeared in front of her again, consuming the wave of petals completely.

But this time it was different: half a second later, the blossoms all emerged from the explosion, continuing on their path to get the blonde woman! With a smirk, she jumped to the side, avoiding the razors. Meanwhile, Noah was fast on the pursuit, guiding the torrent with his left hand, the cloud of petals following the woman like a snake on the grass, slithering around trying to get Lucy caught up in it.

-Man, this is suuuuper dangerous for my flawless skin, so I'm not going to touch it, but daaaamn, is it slow !- she taunted as she nimbly jumped around, narrowly avoiding the blossoms- Can't you make it go any faster--

As she looked to the side to taunt Noah, her eyes widened as she didn't see him there anymore...but instead right in front of her, brandishing an aura-full Warrior's Heart in his free right hand. Her smile dropped instantly, and she jumped back, avoiding the thrust of his Blade by a hair. 

Now the situation was a complete 180 from the beginning of the battle. Wielding the complete Astral Blossom, hovering by his left arm and pointing his complete Astral Soul-infused Blade at her with his right hand, Noah duel-wielded a double threat towards Lucy! Biting her lower lip, she had to shift to a defensive stance, backing away as Noah alternated between swings of his Blade and having the torrent of petals crash down upon her!

She avoided an horizontal slash from the sword, but immediately had to jump back to avoid the petals coming down to the ground. But before she could recompose herself, Noah would jump through the Blossoms, which didn't harm their user (as they turned sideways to let him through), and thrusted Warrior's Heart towards her yet again! It was an unending stream of attacks, flowing smoothly like water! Much like...

-The Angel's Dance...he's only seen it twice and is already employing it?!- Merceny gritted his teeth. 

-Not as much "employing", but more like using a similar flurry of attacks. I'd say he's more inspired by Lucy's ability to dual-wield in general, rather than how she dual-wields, Brother.- Merceny assessed- Look at his steps, they're all uneven. He's not trying to create a rhythm, he's just going wild. With how Lucy uses two vastly different weapons that need distinct ranges, Noah is also using such tactics with the Blade and the petals.

-Dual-wielding...man, isn't that such a "cool hero" thing.- Gee shook his head- It's too complicated for me.- the Master said, causing Mercedes to puff her chest in pride.

-But if he goes full ham on the offensive, that leaves him wide open.- Rye pointed out, causing Sobek to join in, mouth full of popcorn.

-I mean, yeah, look at Lucy just toying with him.- he said, pointing at the agile dodging woman- Lead him on, get him to go full tilt on his own pace and then...

"Counter!" Lucy thought. She dodged under a slash of Warrior's Heart and instead of backing way, she boldly stepped inside. Summoning Genesis as she lunged towards Noah, she performed an upwards swing pointed at his chest!

"CLINK!"

Genesis was suddenly bounced off, the Blade's edge meeting a wall. A pink wall, that suddenly erected in front of her. The petals all lined up in even rows, turned to the side, forming a shield right in front of Noah!

-If you think I'm using two swords with this tactic, you're wrong, Lucy.- Noah said, from behind the shield- It's a sword and a bladed shield!

With that he pushed the petals aside and launched his own counter attack, his own upwards sword swing towards Lucy!

"Little rascal..~" 

Warrior's Heart hit nothing but air. She was gone.

Noah's eyes widened, but he felt a chill on the back of his neck. Not wasting any more time, he shoved the Blossom shield behind him, meeting Lucy's boot!

"How did she..?!" he thought, teeth gritted.

Merceny, on his own end, gritted his teeth as well.

-Bastard...he forced her to use the Dance to dodge ?! How much did he level up in these few months?!

Lucy backed off. Her legs shone slightly with the dark aura of Nexus. Applying her speed powers and a slight spin to her ankles and she easily dodged Noah's counter and circled around to his back. But the fact that he forced her to use her serious speed was immeasurably impressive. This duel was getting much more even than she ever thought it would!

Which caused her to grin.

"My plan to maintain the status quo is crumbling. But like I said before, Noah dear..."

She clenched her right fist in the silver aura of Nexus, ready to launch a direct, megaton punch!

"...I'd love nothing more than you actually being able to challenge me!"

Noah's shield was shoved forward, ready to meet her punch head-on. But suddenly, Lucy was forced to jump away again, as the petals all turned at the same time, all exhibiting their sharp edges towards Lucy. The "risky shield" he had shown the Masters was enough to ward off her attack.

"Little punk...I could totally punch through your thorn wall, but I won't give you the satisfaction of getting even a single more drop of blood outta me! Gods, what is this kid on, to create such a sadistic defense?!"

Left clenching her empowered fist, now it was Lucy's turn to try and think of a way to defeat Noah's double jeopardy, the boy standing in front of her, smile on his face and ready for another round. 

"Tch...getting cocky, are we? Don't think that, because I don't want to ruin my nail job, that you've won this, Noah baby. I'll wipe that smug smile right off your face!" she smirked, summoning the Genesis that she had released as she dodged Noah's sword counter, in her right hand. Immediately, the silver aura of Nexus coated the Blade, much like Noah's Astral Soul coated Warrior's Heart.

She turned it around in her hand, holding the broadsword in reverse. She leaned the Blade behind her, the silver aura flaring up and charging. Seeing it as it was something Noah never saw before, he moved to guard against it, placing his petal shield right in front of himself.

-It won't be enough, honey!- Lucy shouted- Dawn Surge: Beta !- she exclaimed, swinging Genesis in front of herself, the aura that coated it shooting off the sword, transformed into a bright silver wave that tore through the ground and right through Noah's Blossoms, causing a chunk of them to dissipate At the last second, the boy was able to meet the wave with Warrior's Heart, but it was too strong! With its upwards momentum, it knocked the Blade right off Noah's hand, sending it flying and landing a few meters behind him and leaving his right arm to flop down against his leg, in bloody tatters.

Noah looked back to see where it landed, but immediately felt Lucy's presence on top of him. Instinctively, he placed what was left of the shield in front of him. 

But Lucy simply used it as a foothold, launching herself upwards. She waved her left hand down at Noah, Nexus' dark aura coating her fingers.

-Twilight Blast !- she shouted, a wave of dark energy emitting off the sky and crashing down on Noah's left arm, erasing the pink aura from around it. Noah howled in both pain and frustration as the Blossoms dissipated from near him, his left arm burned up.

Coming down upon him, Lucy geared up a kick to launch against the boy.

"The Blossom's main strength seems to be that, while it takes a bit to actually form them, manipulating them is another story. You seem pretty energetic still, even after waving that powerful thing around for a good while, so I'm guessing its cost to maintain active is close to null. 

But that's also its main weakness: you need the arm that summoned it to be always attending that wave of petals. If I can neutralize the arm, you can't maintain the Blossom as well as charge up another round, since you need both hands!"

Congratulating her wits, Lucy launched her boot towards Noah's temple.

"Game over, Noah! I win!

 *

"THUD!"

A sigh left Lucy's lips. Then, they curled up into another smile. 

"What a fun day today has been! Maybe I'm not right for saying this, seeing as my Blade is stained by far too much blood, but...

You make my BladeMaster's soul dance, boy!"

Her black boot sunk into a Blossom shield! As she had launched her kick, it suddenly rose up to meet it!

As he panted up a storm, Noah's smile was ever-present.

"Maybe I'm not right for saying this, seeing as BladeMasters caused many wars in the past, but, if we see this as a competition, as a fair clash of strengths...

You make my BladeMaster's soul flare up, Lucy!"

His right bloodied hand clutched his right knee. From the arm flared up the complete Astral Soul...and from the leg was the aura of Tera! Both mixed up in the boy's hand and re-summoned the torrent of razors to block Lucy's kick!

-Little bastard, I should have guessed that you can use you can use each leg to charge up one of the auras!- she said.

-Well, I've been doing that since the duel began, so it's your fault for not remembering, missy!- Noah laughed and soon Lucy laughed too. Both fighters exchanged pleasant, good-hearted grins, no animosity between them, just the bright fires of competition. 

-But now you've knocked my Blade away, though. I wish I could release it from a distance like you and Merceny can do...- Noah sighed, before clutching his left knee with his burned left leg- So I guess I have to create a second weapon for myself!

With that challenge, Noah let out a roar, trying to flare up even more power. And soon enough, the complete Astral Soul flared up on his left arm as well! Mixing with the Tera that his left leg also emitted, a second pink aura flared up around his left arm!

-Two?!- Lucy exclaimed, completely caught off guard.

With sweat covering his face, Noah mischievously grinned at her.

-I think you may have noticed, but once I create one Blossom, the summoning cost resets. Just like I could coat Warrior's Heart in the complete aura of Astral Soul while wielding the Blossom, I can flare it up on one of the remaining pair of members, creating a second  torrent!

The torrent of petals that blocked Lucy's kick floated beside Noah's right side, while the aura on his left spawned that second cloud of razors that floated on the boy's left side, both primed to pounce on Lucy.

-You're going to have to get half serious to dodge this, Lucy! Or maybe fully serious..?- he grinned.

Lucy smacked her fists together.

-Boy, you couldn't even get me to begin to sweat! Get off yer high horse and come at me!- she challenged.

With a huge smile, Noah raised his shaky hands towards Lucy, both torrents shooting towards her. Summoning Genesis, Lucy began deftly slashing at both torrents. While her Blade didn't do much progress in destroying the petals themselves, the shockwave of her powerful slash was enough to push the section she cut away, therefore creating an opening in the cloud of razors through which she could jump through. Her feet gracefully glided across the ground, not a single movement wasted as the blossoms, commanded by Noah's hands like he was some kind of battle maestro, tried to attack her from all sides. Soon they had created a circle around the woman, limiting her range of movement.

From above, slicing the air itself; from below crashing through the earth; from the sides, a deadly pincer attack. If she tried to jump, the blossoms would follow her high into the air; and breaking through the ground to escape from below would only reveal more blossoms that had broken from the main clouds and dug their own holes, primed to get the Grim Reaper. Lucy's Surge and Blast weren't strong enough, at the level she was using them, to get her out of that cage. Slowly but surely, her clothes began exhibiting cuts and her skin began showing scratches as some blossoms were beginning to reach her. It was only a matter of time until they completely overwhelmed her.

Lucy tsked.

"If I keep playing around, these pesky things will distract me enough to give him an opening to get to some blind spot of mine, pin me down and end the duel." 

Her eyes then focused, through the openings of the petals, on the boy, who kept commanding the blossoms, hands coming together as the cage slowly enclosed on her.

"I have to gamble on just how fast these things are to retreat back towards their master!"

With that, she sunk her feet into the ground and released Genesis. The blossoms didn't waste any time and all pounced on her, trying to swallow her whole in their waves. Taking a deep breath, she glared at the oncoming danger.

From outside, Noah's eyes widened as he thought Lucy had finally relented and gave up, the cage of blossoms swallowing her. But his happiness was shortly lived as the cage suddenly burst open! From within, he could see Lucy, but her arms were completely gone, turned into blurs! He quickly focused Astral Soul in his eyes to try and perceive what she was doing.

He couldn't believe it, a curse escaping his lips.

-Dang, I forgot she still has a second Blade!

In her hands, Lucy deftly handled the Apocalypse scythe, swinging it around herself, pushing the blossoms away from all sides! The boy knew he couldn't relent, not wanting to lose the battle of omnidirectional attacks, so he clapped his hands together, trying to bring in the dispersing blossoms back towards Lucy. Soon, a rain of pink descended from all around her.

-Not good enough, kiddo!- Lucy taunted.

"CLINK"

As soon as that sound reached Noah's ears. It was over.

The scythe's secret mechanism activated, the black and white blade detaching from the shaft, a long chain attached to the bottom of the sharp weapon. Soon, the long handle began changing too, breaking off in various sections across its 2 meter length, the glint of the chain inside shining through the gaps. Now turned into a sort of chain whip, Lucy's hands sped up even more, more than Noah' could follow with his amplified eyes. Lucy handled the staff and the chain like they were extensions of her body, swinging the curved blade around herself at ludicrous speeds, using both hands and feet to grab and kick the chain around, making it so that the scythe easily curved around herself, to hit and destroy every single one of the thousands of blossoms Noah had launched at her!

-This is...ridiculous..!- Allie stammered, the fist time that the Lotus had seen Apocalypse in person, after all- It's like a wall of blades was created around herself..! How could she even begin to practice with that?!

-Just goes to show that Lucy only acts like a loony.- Eldus said, arms crossed- The Grim Reaper's scythe brings judgment to everything, no matter where it is. It might not have as much power as Genesis, but its unorthodox range makes it just as deadly. 

-Tell me about it...-the Lotus replied- Noah really might gone past his league here...

Meanwhile, Noah was thinking about the same thing about his situation. Seeing Lucy methodically destroy his blossoms, he decided to relent his attack and reassess the situation. He brought his hands closer to himself, causing the blossoms that were still untouched to zoom away from Lucy's scythe and retreat back to him in two small clouds of petals. If he could come in contact with them , he could reform the technique and launch another attack from a different angle.

-Ho ho ho, don't even think about it!- Lucy shouted, spinning around herself. As she did, the chain retracted inside the scythe's handle as it itself straightened back up again. Once Apocalypse was back its original form, Lucy thrust the weapon towards the boy, causing the scythe's blade to go flying forward, the chain stretching seemingly endlessly.

Noah tried his best to retreat the blossoms faster, in reaction to the approaching projectile, fusing the two clouds into one and reeling his right hand back to increase their speed, but it was much too late. Once the blade came into contact with the petals, it burst right through them, releasing a powerful shockwave that destroyed the cloud and dissipated the petals into pink dust. The scythe then continued its flight, going straight for the boy!

Shifting the complete Astral Soul from his eyes to his legs and then to his hips and then to his neck, Noah was able to shift to the side just fast enough to narrowly  avoid the incoming blade, it passing inches from his nose, leaving the stretching chain in front of him, still moving. Noah, thinking on his feet, quickly reached out for the chain with his left hand, grabbing it (the burns on his palm causing him to flinch slightly) and then enhancing his hand enough to give the chain a powerful yank, which caused the it to became taut and begin pulling on the scythe's shaft and then its owner. 

With his right, free, hand Noah reached out for his right knee, planning on having Lucy meet a fresh torrent of blossoms once she was pulled closer.

Lucy smirked, though. Placing the silver aura of Nexus around her feet, she jumped forward, allowing herself to be pulled by Noah, her body becoming a second projectile going towards him. But this one was even faster, as Lucy boosted her already insane propulsion by summoning her wings, the appendages giving out a powerful flap, increasing her forward momentum and turning her into a human bullet, faster than Noah could react!

As she got close, she then reeled her right fist back, coating it in the silver aura again and launched it towards the defenseless boy, socking him right on the cheek, causing Noah to go flying, his body going completely limp and crash through the front of the mercenaries' HQ's wooden roof and landing behind the building.

The audience near it screamed in surprise, shocked at the sudden human cannonball.

-LUCY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU'VE KILLED HIM!- Mercedes yelled at the top of her lungs.

-It crashed clean through the HQ..!- Axel remarked, his face whiter than a sheet.

-He's surely turned into goo! Oh Noah..!- Guy ran out to check on his friend, circling around the building.

After a few seconds, though...

-HE'S NOT GOO! HE'S ALIVE!- he said, coming back while carrying a stumbling Noah, who despite having a line of blood dripping from the corner of his lip, his left cheek of a deep red, seemed more dizzy than actually hurt. The whole spectator group rushed towards him, Axel and Mercedes sighing in relief.

-Are you alright?! She decked you in the face something fierce!- Axel exclaimed.

-You've scared me half to death, you idiot!- Mercedes shook him by the shoulders, once in a while looking back and hissing towards a nervously laughing Lucy.

-I-I'm OK, I managed to activate the complete Astral Soul on the left side of my face just before she hit it.- Noah explained, his head spinning again, Mercedes' shaking not helping- Well, it's more like I coated my entire body with the incomplete aura and kinda braced myself for her punch. I sure got lucky she hit the part that happened to get enhanced the most, hahaha..! My head still hurts from smashing through the HQ, though...

-She did it on purpose, then.- Merceny shook his head- She knew she wouldn't win the duel if she killed you, so she hit the hardest part of you with her punch. So it wasn't luck and much less a good reaction on your part.

-Gee, thanks for the support, Merceny...- Noah puffed his cheeks. After using his tongue to check that his teeth were miraculously still in place, he looked back towards Lucy and shuffled away from the group to face her- Anyways, I'm still up, Lucy. You destroyed my Blossoms, though, and I'm not sure if summoning more will defeat your Apocalypse.

Lucy smirked with a shrug.

-You're free to give up, then. If we keep going, I might accidentally hit you too hard again, like I just did. Hahaha...sorry.- she pouted.

Noah shook his head.

-Maybe it would be for the best. I'm quickly running out of ideas on how I can trip you up enough to secure a submission. You've really stacked the deck against me, even with my handicap helping me.

-Aren't you a clever lad. There's no shame in admitting defeat~-she winked.

-Yeah...- he nodded...before glaring at her- But admitting defeat before trying out everything I have up my sleeve wouldn't be very becoming of a great BladeMaster.

He then squatted down, beginning to stretch his legs and arms.

-Throughout my entire stay here in Soula, I feel like all my battles have been ruled on what I can do for the 5 minutes I actually function. I'm always on the verge of Overloading because I spend myself up too quickly. The Astral Blossom was created thinking on how I can save up soul power the most. As a result, even though my body is battered, I still feel like my tank has still plenty to give.

Straightening himself out, Noah spotted the fallen Warrior's Heart  and went to pick it up, Lucy letting him do that for free as a way to apologize for hitting him too hard. Once he picked the Blade up, he continued:

-As a result, I feel like the gambits I can pull off aren't so much borne out of some despair. I feel, for the first time, like I've paced myself well in a battle. That way, when I do risk it, I feel like it's more controlled. So thanks, Lucy, for letting me give it all towards a battle, but not be stupid about it.

Lucy tilted her head.

-Thanks..?- her eyes then widened- Wait, you aren't thinking...

-Yeah.- Noah gave an honest smile, before assuming the stance, positioning the Blade tilted above him.

"Soul...Crash!"

  *

A powerful shockwave spread throughout the training field. The spectator group shielded itself from the dust that Noah's release threw towards them. Coughing, Eldus screamed:

-Noah, are you insane?! Your Backlash---

His words cut off as the boy got out from the stance, but didn't collapse. The pressure that his soul power gave off was indeed that of a Soul Crash, but he wasn't coughing up a storm!

Noah looked to his hand, clenching his fist.

-Don't worry, Eldus. Even within Soul Crash, I won't go past the 30% I can achieve right now. It just means that the focusing method of my soul power is all around my body right now.- he then looked towards Lucy- But I won't risk it. Not anymore.

The pink aura then flared up, one at a time, around each of his arms, in just half a second!

-Take this! A supped-up Astral Blossom !- he roared, launching the waves towards Lucy, towering above her as they were about double the size of the ones that she had just contended with!

Lucy gritted her teeth.

"Soul Crash is allowing him to utilize his current maximum soul power with even more efficiency! Against this many blossoms, I can't play around anymore!"

With that, she jumped back, beginning to launch Dawn Surges and Twilight Blasts one after the other. But they were all being swallowed up by the giant pink waves, which shaved off her explosions upon contact, their shadow soon stretching above Lucy. She gritted her teeth, raising her left arm up and lowering her right arm down at the same time.

-Ugh, no choice. Here ya go kid, a little present: Nexus Maw!

With that, she brought her palms together, fingers clamping around each other like the fangs of a beast. And likewise, the dark aura of the Blast came down and met the rising power of the Surge, both explosions clashing, the jaw clenching around Noah's Blossoms and instantly destroying them in a huge explosion!

Noah was left wide-eyed, the shockwave of the technique destroying every window in the Academy's dorm and tearing down the walls of the shabby HQ!

"It's not even an Ultima Soul and she destroyed my amplified Blossoms so easily!"  he thought.

But the boy then grinned. 

"But that was exactly what I wanted! She's open now!"

He then squatted down. The Tera aura focused around his feet.

His body then shot forward towards Lucy, the floor cracking beneath him!

Lucy's eyes widened as Noah was instantly in front of her, brandishing Warrior's Heart. At the last second, she moved to the side, the boy shooting past her.

"How did he..?!" she then looked towards where he had been standing.

And in his place were, a bit crudely made, a pair of stone legs, turned upside down, soles of the feet having a small stone square fused to them.

-Wha...- she then felt a spike of killer intent behind her and jumped up, the human rocket zooming under her legs. Looking behind herself, she saw another pair of legs.

Noah, while still flying, corrected himself to face Lucy again. Landing on the ground with force, Astral Soul protecting his legs as they tore through the earth, he squatted, focused Tera and zoomed towards her again, another construct left in the wake of his jump.

"Stone springs?! They used to be just thick squares, why are they like that now?!" she thought as she narrowly dodged again.

-Now it makes sense...- Eldus said to himself, fingers running through his long beard.

-What does, old man?- Zeke yawned.

-Notice how Noah never tried to use his usual stone springs during the battle? I'm guessing that, with the 5% (unfocused) to 10% (focused) of soul power that he could use during the duel, he could once again, spawn those square columns, but he didn't. I thought it strange, but seeing how he's doing it now, with two stone legs supporting a launch pad square, it all makes sense.

-I'm guessing those legs are something he created through his Tera training. But to use them instead of the old springs...-Axel scratched his chin, before his eyes widened and he snapped his fingers- Could it be that the old springs were hollow?!

Eldus nodded:

-Yes, I'm guessing it must be so. Noah and Jackson Gaiaheart were training to allow Noah to construct a true stone hand, correct? But doing something that wasn't hollow required focus and a lot of soul power. More than Noah could do without focusing his soul power with the method taught to him by the Masters.

"I'm guessing that, if he tried creating springs with his focusing method that only allowed him to reach the 10% at the start of the duel... it wouldn't be viable, because it would take too long to create the spring and it would go against Lucy's handicap, that only covered the Astral Blossom technique. 

But with the focusing method allowing him to reach 30% now that he's realizing his full potential, it would be easier for him to create a spring, but still much too slow. But look at him now..."

As he talked, Noah kept on this pace, zooming by Lucy, landing on the ground and using another stone spring to jump towards the woman, thrusting Warrior's Heart and being narrowly avoided or parried. The latter would cause his trajectory to be slightly shifted, so he'd create a stone spring where there was none before and attack Lucy from a new angle. As this continued, the area around Lucy was beginning to be covered in stone launch pads.

-In Soul Crash, the focusing method is cut down drastically. He can focus Tera on the bottom of his feet in half a second and create a powerful, fully realized stone spring! Powerful legs fused to a thick launch pad that launches him faster than the old ones could!

-Ok, I get that Noah now has access to a lot more controllable soul power than he did then, but when he trained with Jackson, he couldn't create a stone hand without trying to look at a drawing.- Zeke pointed out- And when he came back from Aireen, his focus shifted to creating a hand of petals.

-Well...some time has passed since your exam, no? Just because Noah tried another method to pass, it doesn't mean he gave up on creating the stone hand.- Eldus smiled, reaching for the inside of his robes and taking out a thick book: "Human Anatomy", a school book detailing the human body with intricate pictures alongside the text- He returned this to me yesterday. He told me it was a "great reference material". At the time, I didn't know what he meant, but now it makes sense. The legs he creates now have strong stone muscles that he replicated from the pictures of this book, giving them more power than the old stone springs. He kept studying after the exam, using the methods he learned to create the Blossom to now being able to create powerful stone constructs! 

-Damn...- Mercedes nodded to herself- And to think we were worried he was becoming loony over the books. Now it's giving him the edge!

Noah kept zipping past Lucy, faster and faster, coming from new and tricky angles that left he Grim Reaper stumped, more cuts littering her body..!

But not for long!

"You little..!" she gritted her teeth, meeting Noah's Blade, parrying it with Genesis. Then, with a grunt, she reached out, grabbed him by the collar and launched the screaming boy high up into the sky! Then, taking the momentum of the throw, she spun around herself and swapped Genesis for Apocalypse, the blade scythe detaching from the handle.

-Twilight Blast: Beta !- she shouted, spinning around herself, the blade and chain creating a circular dark shockwave that spread around the woman, destroying all the stone springs around her in one go!

Soaring through the air, Noah gritted his teeth as he assessed the situation.

"Damn, that didn't stop her for long..!

One minute! I gave this Soul Crash one minute before it subsides itself. Even if I'm feeling great when that time limit hits, I'm not taking any chances, it stops there!

It's been about 45 seconds since I engaged it and I'm back on the back foot..!

But I still have one final gamble! This is for all the marbles!"

With that, he corrected himself in the air, going feet first towards the ground. He then took Warrior's Heart, raised it high above his head and chucked it towards the ground, the Blade crashing on it and disappearing on the crater it created.

Noah then landed back on the ground, facing Lucy. Focusing as much Tera as he could in his legs, he placed his hands on the ground, like he was getting ready for a race. Once he was fully focused, he created another stone launch pad, his final one, and zoomed towards Lucy at full speed!

Lucy quickly turned towards him, brandishing Genesis again and preparing to face him.

-Silly! Your attacks are too linear, you can't--- -her words were cut off as she felt a surge of Element coming from the ground.

As the boy soared towards her, the ground alongside him was cracking, almost like it followed the boy. And then, from below, an object shot out, which Noah grabbed. For a split second, Lucy could recognize the vine patterns along the stone blade, which made her do a double-take.

"It can't be..! It's..."

-Ultima Soul: Gaia's Blade! - he roared, raising the giant sword above his head with both hands and bringing it down on the woman as he got close to her.

Lucy gritted her teeth and coated Genesis with the silver aura.

"Can't afford to graze him again. I have to meet him head-on!" she thought. With a spinning step-in, she clenched the sword's handle tightly and launched an horizontal slash towards the stone sword, applying as much force as she could, the two blades clashing, yet another shockwave ensuing and destroying the ground around them! Lucy leaned in towards the clash, not wanting to give any quarter, when...

"WOOSH!"

Noah wasn't there anymore. The boy flew right past her, tumbling harshly on the floor.

The Gaia's Blade having shattered immediately upon contact and lying in tatters on the ground.

-Heh?- she let out, eyes wide in utter bafflement.

Noah kept tumbling and rolling towards the spectator group, which ran out to catch him. 

But then...

-T-there!- Noah corrected himself so that now he was more sliding across the ground. He raised his right arm towards Lucy, placed his middle finger tensed up against his thumb and flicked it upwards!

-Ow!- Lucy flinched.

A glint momentarily blinded her. Half a second later she realized the lack of weight in her hands.

-Wha...- she looked up towards the glint.

Genesis. Spinning in midair, away from her and soon falling on the ground with a clank.

And right in front of her feet, erected from the crumbled-up Gaia's Blade's stone shards...

Was a shoddy-looking stone hand, having flicked its middle finger on her wrist and forcing her to let go of her Blade.

Noah's fingernails tore across the ground, the boy desperately trying to stop his momentum. Once he did, he felt Soul Crash fading, but he still had enough energy to summon Warrior's Heart and running towards Lucy! And once he got a step's distance from her, her placed his Blade against her neck!

-Duel---

-Duel over.

Lucy's voiced reached him just before he felt something sharp tapping against the back of his neck. Lucy's Apocalypse. Still looking away from him, she had stretched her hand out towards the boy, the scythe appearing, and all that was left was for Lucy to bring its blade towards the back of the boy's neck in a short, swift movement. To ensure a proper pin down, her right, free, hand glowed with the silver aura of Nexus, effectively trapping Noah between Apocalypse and a Dawn Surge. 

He had lost.