"Wind Control: Tornado-Drill Fist!" I shout as I slam my wind-covered fist into Haraki's head, my tornado drilling into her scales, just as before. Although this time, Haraki's scales are much tougher. But still, I hold tight and concentrate, and after a brief moment, I break through Haraki's green scales, seeing the top of her haired human head. But I don't have much time to celebrate, as I look up and see a scaled fist coming right towards my face. I flinch, but before Haraki's fist can hit me, I find myself in the air to Haraki's right, where her exposed side lies.
"Woah…" I whisper to myself.
"I told you, I'd take care of the defense!" Grover shouts. "Aim for her armpit, Luis! There should be exposed flesh there, otherwise Haraki wouldn't be able to swing her arms as swiftly as she can!"
"Ah, that's right!" I reply as my eyes flicker upwards towards Haraki's armpits, and surely enough, her flesh is exposed. "Got it! Thanks, Grover!" I shout back as I slam a tornado-covered fist into Haraki's armpit, who howls in pain.
"Damnit, get over here!" Haraki roars as she swings her arms towards me, but before I can get hit, Grover teleports me back to my starting position. Ella places her hands on my back again, and I can feel my strength surging. "YOU DAMN PESKY FLY!" Haraki roars as she aims both arms towards me again. "SCALE CANNON!"
"Run, Luis, run!" Grover orders as Haraki's scale missiles fly towards me.
"Right!" I reply as I take off running towards Haraki, running straight towards her scales. As I run, Grover opens and closes his wormholes, helping me to dodge his scales as I teleport from side to side. But Haraki's scales keep following me, like heat seeking missiles.
"Annoying scales!" Grover grumbles as he flings a few kunai knives towards Haraki's scales. Haraki's scales and Grover's knives make contact, and both sides uselessly clang to the ground. A new wormhole then opens up in front of me and I leap inside, finding myself behind Haraki this time. "The backs of her knees are exposed too!" Grover shouts.
"Right!" I shout back. "Wind Control: Tornado-Drill Fist!" I slam my tornado fist into the back of Haraki's knee, causing the Lizard-Lady to flinch, and in response, Haraki aims a mighty back kick towards me. "Ah, shit, Grover!" I cry. Right as Haraki's scaled foot grazes my nose, a wormhole opens up behind me, and I reappear above in front of Haraki, clutching my surly-broken nose, as blood spurts out of it.
"Damnit, I'm running low on Cursed Power…" Grover grumbles.
"Yeah…me too…" Ella winces as she drops down to one knee.
"It's now or never, Luis! GET HER!" Grover roars.
"Wind Control: Tornado-Drill Fist!" I shout as I slam my fist into Haraki's chest. My wind struggles against Haraki's scales, but unlike before, I'm unable to drill through. "Damnit, Ella's boost is running out!" I cry, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Ella drop to the floor, as Grover drops down to one knee. And at the same time, my tornado dissipates.
I can't believe the three of us were really foolish enough to think we could go head to head with a Pro Slayer.
"Damnit, not yet-" Grover grunts as he struggles to push himself off of the ground. "This is just like before with that Jamie girl…I'm useless when I face an opponent with a high defense Cursed Ability!" Grover doubles over, falling back to the ground. "But I can't…I can't fail now…"
"NOT BEFORE I BECOME A PRO SLAYER!"
In the blink of an eye, Grover teleports into the air above Haraki and I, with his back facing Haraki. "Remember what I said earlier, Pro Slayer before you cut me off?!" Grover roars as he whips around, using the momentum of his arms and side swinging to the side to strengthen his kick, as Grover brings his right leg up, poised and ready to strike. Green Cursed Power begins bubbling around Grover's right leg, from his knee down to his foot. Cursed Power so bright and so vibrant that it's clearly visible.
"What the Hell is that kid doing?!" Haraki cries. "He's pouring every last bit of Cursed Power he has left into his leg, after that attack, he won't have any Cursed Power left!"
"BUT THAT'S WHY I'LL NEVER GIVE UP!" Grover roars, and with all his might, he slams his leg straight into Haraki's chest in the form of a mighty roundhouse-kick.
"No…that's not it…" Haraki grunts as her scales struggle against Grover's Cursed Power-infused leg. "He's not banking everything on this last attack, he's banking everything on his allies!"
With a roar and one final push, green Cursed Power explodes out of Grover's attack as a shattering noise rings through the air.
Grover has cracked Haraki's scales.
"That kid was able to infuse his leg with Cursed Power to break through my scales! It takes most Pro Slayers years to master that technique, how is he able to use Cursed Power Barrier at such a young age?!" Haraki cries.
"LUIS!" Grover shouts to me. "That attack was my last, I'm all out of Cursed Power now! I broke through her scales, so I gave you a clean opening. I'm banking my dreams and our victory on you, so…DON'T YOU DARE MISS!"
"I wouldn't dream of it!" I shout back. I take a deep breath in…then out. I let my Cursed Power flow, flow out of my body and into the air. My mind goes blank as I allow my body to resume control to do whatever it feels is natural in this moment. I bring my hands high into the air, as the wind between them begins to swirl and take shape, forming a giant katana of wind. I grasp my katana tightly, taking control over my body again and fixating my glossed-over eyes on the center of Haraki's chest, where her weak spot lies. Grover's opening.
Just like before with the demons, I feel powerful, invincible. Like I'm catching my second wind.
"Destroy her…" a voice growls to me.
"Yes…" I whisper back, not questioning where the voice came from. The voice from within. "I'll follow you…the voice of my second wind…"
If this were an anime or a video game…well then it would be time to unveil my super attack.
"WIND CONTROL: SKY GOD'S KATANA!"
I let out a loud, feral roar, and then, with all of my might, I swing my giant wind katana downwards, slicing through each and every single scale that my wind blade hit along the way, but more importantly…slicing straight through Grover's opening, creating a giant gash in Haraki's chest, which douses both my and Grover in blood. I roar, Grover roars, Haraki howls in pain, until bam. Haraki limply flops backwards and falls onto the ground on her back. In turn, Grover and I crumble to the ground as well.
"Did we…win?" Grover pants.
"It sure seems that way. She isn't moving," I pant back. But mine and Grover's conversation is interrupted when we hear Haraki begin cackling again.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Haraki laughs. "Do you two really think that you've beaten me, a Pro Slayer?!" Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Haraki begin to stir, and slowly push herself off of the ground. All of her scales have reverted into flesh. All I can do is close my eyes in shame and unball my fists.
We've lost.
"Dammit…" I hear Grover whimper to my side.
I then feel someone pushing against me, and look up to see Ella. "Come on. If we're going to lose, we may as well lose with our dignity," she says.
"You're right," I groan, and Grover and I struggle to pick ourselves off of the ground.
Panting heavily, soaked in blood and sweat, unable to move, and out of Cursed Power, Ella, Grover, and I stare Haraki in the eyes, awaiting our fate.
"Luis Tramontana…Ella Calia…Grover Bradshaw…" Haraki ominously growls as she slowly steps towards the three of us. I close my eyes, gulp, then reopen them. An explosion of olive-green Cursed Power then bursts around Haraki's body, swirling and flickering around her like a flame. But Haraki's burst of Cursed Power feels…weird… unsettling. Underneath her burst, I feel like a child, like I'm weak and pathetic. My voice catched in my throat and my hands turn clammy. And judging by Ella and Grover's pale faces, they feel the same tense sensation.
It's like I can feel Haraki's will to kill us…
"By the power invested in me as Slayer Haraki of the International Professional Slayer Organization…you three…"
"Officially pass the Pro Slayer Exams!" A goofy grin spreads across Haraki's face as she begins frantically clapping.
Ella, Grover, and I stare blankly at Haraki for a few moments.
"HUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!"
"Huh? What's the matter? I said you three passed, didn't I?" Haraki asks as she tilts her head and raises an eyebrow at the three of us.