With Sougo finally regaining his strength, they decided to go out into the field and spar one last time. But now, Luna helped as a referee. She couldn't be trusted to fight, as the fight was meant only for Sougo and Mika; however, she was shockingly expert at magic.
Through her surprising wits, she impressively aced all the magic tests. And her magic was mostly water-based.
Mika was astounded to find that he had presumed her to be well-versed in the art of magic, with considerable experience under her belt. Regrettably, her amnesia had robbed her of the knowledge of how she had acquired those skills.
"As the rock touches the ground, we'll begin the battle!" Mika proclaimed, raising a light pebble, signaling the start of their clash.
In his moments of repose, Sougo discovered an effective method of managing his magical abilities. Despite being bedridden and unable to increase his powers any further, he honed his control by manipulating small objects, such as lifting water from his glass and guiding his grasp to desired targets.
As the two opponents locked gazes on the battlefield, Luna prudently kept a safe distance to avoid being caught in the midst of any explosive outbursts.
Spectating their fierce combat, Luna struggled to follow their lightning-fast maneuvers, but suddenly materialized at the heart of the fray, where their blades clashed with a deafening clang.
Witnessing the fruits of Mika's arduous training, Sougo grew to respect his adversary's formidable power and the formidable progress he had made.
After a series of intense exchanges, they leaped away from each other, putting some distance between them as they prepared for the next round.
"I've made it this far, and I can assure you, you'll need to be more serious to be able to deal with me!" Mika's exuberance and self-assuredness necessitated an immediate escalation of Sougo's intensity. "So be serious with me Sougo, give me all you got!" Mika yelled confidently.
Noticing Mika's arrogance persisting even after their initial encounter, Sougo concluded that his adversary's ego was inflating beyond his actual capabilities. To take pride in his own might, let alone to feel superior, constituted the first misstep that Sougo discerned in Mika's approach.
"Is that so? Well, now use that bow of yours and catch me." With that said, Sougo took Mika more seriously than ever before–serious as if facing a war.
Sougo jerked with impressive speed through the woods, exceeding Mika's concentration to catch him on sight.
"You'll regret that wager!" Mika equipped his bow by spawning it in thin air and quickly pulling the string. His eyes marked on Sougo, trailing his movements like a prey.
Drawing upon a stupendous reserve of energy, Mika coated the very tip of his arrow with an incredible force, his eye narrowed in intense focus. His skill in marksmanship far outstripped the capabilities of a his previous self, and his keen eyesight allowed him to zeroing in Sougo with ease.
Taking up his stance, Mika channeled his energy into a sphere of immense power, hurtling forth with incredible velocity. With a sharp mind and quick wit, he carefully weighed his options before unleashing a move of calculated precision.
"Rigura MK.II!"
In the heat of battle, Mika unleashed a spell of unparalleled ingenuity. Once limited to a simple, straight trajectory, this spell had been elevated to new heights able to track its target with effortless precision, disallowing his opponents to run away.
While the spell had previously been able to condense energy into sharp points, Mika's innovative mind had amplified this technique that shattered the shackles of its previous limitations, allowing it to break free from its linear path and strike its foes from unexpected angles.
"(Those days of training, I finally figured it out how to renew a spell.)" Mika smirked, a note of pride in his voice. "(It was just my luck that I was able to crack the impossible. Though this spell was meant for beginners using advanced magic, I made use of it by modifying it. Now there's nowhere to run, mister Sougo.)"
Mika exerted himself for several days in order to master the art of deciphering the spell's code, which he has now accomplished through his extensive erudition and ingenuity.
As the arrow relentlessly pursued Sougo, striking trees along the way, he instinctively quickened his pace in response to its increasing proximity. The arrow's formidable menace was no trivial matter, and had Sougo not exercised extreme caution, it could have resulted in his demise.
But even so, Sougo had trained for this type of situation.
Yet, Sougo had honed his skills for precisely such a momentous occasion. With sheer will, he pulled the arrow ever closer to its fated destination, reaching out to Mika with an unwavering hand. This feat was beyond Mika's wildest imaginings.
Undaunted, Sougo leapt nimbly behind the arrow with effortless grace. He had anticipated the arrow's subtle hesitation, a mere 1.3 seconds before it veered off course. By deftly maneuvering through the thick forest, Sougo had bought himself enough time to execute a cunning reversal, outwitting Mika with consummate skill.
Mika had to evade the arrow as soon as possible, and the arrow's energy span ran out, dissipating before demolishing another tree.
Due to his close death, Mika breathed abnormally while Sougo stood there gazing down at Mika.
"What is wrong? I am still holding back." Sougo's stoic demeanor remained still, but a hint of teasing was in his voice.
"Right on the spot!" Mika smiled.
Behind that smile was Mika's plan all along. A deluge of arrows rained down from above, reaching down to Sougo's position. Mika's previous arrow, a veritable tour de force, had produced a cacophonous electrical discharge that obscured any audible indication of the subsequent arrow barrage. Moreover, these arrows lacked any magical enchantment to dampen their noise, catching Sougo completely off guard despite his acute sensory perceptions.
However, Sougo's instincts and reflexes kicked in with lightning speed, saving his life and adroitly block the incoming arrows while simultaneously leaping away from danger. As the arrows drew near with alarming speed, its trajectory surpassing the limits of his defensive capabilities, Sougo summoned the power of the tempestuous winds to erect a magical barrier, shielding himself from the deadly arrow's approach.
With the skirmish momentarily halted, Mika had vanished, leaving Sougo to survey the surrounding terrain for any sign of Mika.
Despite the distance that separated them, Sougo's keen senses detected Mika's concealed location, deep within the verdant confines of the forest.
Perched atop a towering tree, Mika loosed his arrow, aimed with deadly precision at the motionless figure of Sougo. But the warrior was not one to flinch in the face of mortal peril. With valor in his heart and steel in his grip, Sougo raised his katana aloft, its glinting edge poised to strike, undeterred by the looming threat before him.
With a resolute stance, Sougo leaned forward, channeling the very essence of magic into his blade, imbuing it with a deadly power capable of unleashing a devastating tempest upon his surroundings.
The force of his winds was such that it would obliterate anything in its path, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.
Meanwhile, Mika drew upon an even greater wellspring of energy, funneling it into the very tip of his arrow.
The sheer magnitude of his charge was enough to send shockwaves throughout the surrounding area, igniting the very air with a furious display of crackling lightning sparks that illuminated the darkness with a fearsome radiance.
Crows began to caw from the alert of danger, bushes and trees rustled, Mika's smirk was irrepressible as they continued this exhilarating spar.
Luna quivered in fear as she bore witness to the frenzied battle, wherein both combatants amassed a formidable surge of energy capable of mass destruction.
Gazing intently at each other, they unleashed an onslaught of catastrophic power, unleashing widespread chaos. The potency of their clash was so immense that it generated a radiant luminescence, dazzling enough to transform the dead of night into a blazing dawn–a power akin to a small nuke.
Six hours elapsed, and the aftermath of their brutal confrontation was evident. The once lush forest lay in a state of partial annihilation, ravaged by their ferocity. The two, at long last, found themselves spent and drained from their grueling bout. Luna chose Sougo as the winner—Mika was the first who fell before Sougo.
"Hahaha, we blew it... Everything here is all ruined." Mika laughed as hard as he had ever before.
"..." Sougo lay down in silence with bruises all over his body, including Mika's.
"Healiö" Luna took action by healing the two, a spell she had learned from Mika 2 days ago.
"You did well, Mika." Sougo praised with a soft voice.
"You too as well, mister Sougo." Mika praised back.
Overall their fight, Mika and Sougo both went to sleep on the ground as Luna healed them...
"Wait, don't sleep on me! Hey, who's gonna carry you all? Heyyyyy!"
Unfortunately, since they both were unconscious, Luna had to carry their heavy bodies before any beast ambushed them.
Their battles gave rise to minor turmoil, yet it served as a testament to the fruits of their labor.
Tranquility enveloped the surroundings, seemingly hushed by the benevolence of nature bestowing a sense of liberation and peace. As night descended, the air was filled with laughter and smiles, imbued with indelible emotions.
Sougo, maintaining his stoic composure, exuded a softened aura akin to a plush pillow, relishing the joyous moments shared before their impending journey on the morrow...