Maeyurai managed to react in time, turning his body to the left and avoiding Kirsaki's blade. He shot a fire arrow out of instinct, but its flames diminished under the rain.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, hopping three steps back to create distance.
"I can't use fire, huh?"
Kirsaki spun her blade confidently, her head tilted to the side as she observed Maeyurai's movements. "You're being careful. Was running how you won against Asagi?"
"Not exactly," replied Maeyurai. "I outsmarted her, which is what I'm going to do to you."
He drew his longbow, his face stoic.
"I'll have to use these hunting arrows even if it'll hurt her," Maeyurai mumbled, the volume inaudible for both Asagi and Kirsaki.
But before he could even aim, Kirsaki already charged forward. This time, even faster than she did earlier.
Huh? Maeyurai froze. When did she move so fast...?
Kirsaki's blade flew to Maeyurai's neck, stopping only an inch wide.
"Give up," she demanded, her voice carrying a cold edge as she glared at him.
But, Maeyurai, without his own intentions, managed to pull his longbow up, aiming the arrow right at Kirsaki's head at the time she swung her sword.
Kirsaki stared at the tip of the arrow while Maeyurai felt the blade of her katana on his neck.
"I'm not surrendering," he said, moving his aim to her shoulder and shooting right after.
Then, Kirsaki pulled her blade and grazed Maeyurai's neck as a warning, ducking under to avoid his arrow.
"Hmph!" Maeyurai grunted, his head and shoulder flinching away from the threat.
He raised his free hand and conjured a lightning bolt, spinning it in his hands to find the right grip before hurling it against Kirsaki.
With a flick, Kirsaki deflected his hand by using the back of her hand. She pointed her sword down at Maeyurai's right foot and stabbed it with zero hesitation.
Maeyurai howled in pain, his legs trembling from the brutal penetration. "You merciless woman!" he cursed out, switching his grip on his bow to deliver a cross to Kirsaki's face.
Kirsaki retracted her sword and took the blow. She tumbled a step back, but was unaffected by his punch.
Blood slipped through the gaping wound on his foot, trickling down his frigid toes, wetted by the cold rain.
Maeyurai turned back and started sprinting towards the docks, his steps uneven due to the painful wound that Kirsaki inflicted on his right foot.
I can't use lightning, and now, I can't use fire either! If she's too fast for my arrows, how am I supposed to defeat her? I've got to think of a way...
A swift Kirsaki moved in his tracks, stopping him from going any further, water splashing around at her feet with each move. But looking closer at her anchored feet, the water around it was bubbling.
Maeyurai couldn't ignore the minor detail and immediately took note of it. And in response to Kirsaki's attempt to break his path, he continued running and threw another smack on her face.
However, it was blocked easily. Kirsaki's hand snapped forward and met Maeyurai's fist, ceasing its movements almost completely. She flicked his hand down and spun her katana—just to sheath it right after.
"I don't need my blade nor my mana to defeat you," she mocked, emphasising her words with a swift jab to Maeyurai's neck, temporarily blocking his airway.
"Cack!" Maeyurai winced, his head recoiling from the impact.
At the sidelines, Asagi watched anxiously, afraid of the possible unpleasant result the duel may give. "Kirsaki's being brutal... How will Maeyurai deal with her...?"
Kirsaki didn't let Maeyurai off the hook. She threw another powerful jab, this time to his solar plexus, effectively leaving him winded.
A left hook, and then a powerful cross. Maeyurai received every single blow, every feint and every backhand, each hit hurting more than the last. It was no longer a duel, but a beating.
With the final blow to his guts, Maeyurai flew across the air, his longbow flying towards the docks. He crashed into the tables of the outdoor area of a restaurant near the docks, and he felt each impact, his bones trembling from the shock.
Maeyurai let out a gasp, unable to breathe. He was temporarily incapacitated, left lying down on the cold pavement like a piece of ragged carpet. His vision shook, his mind left in turmoil. He looked dazedly at the clear, transparent window of the restaurant to his left and saw several people inside watching the battle.
"Oh," he muttered silently. "It seems I'm putting on a poor performance for these spectators... If I want to be recognised, I have to beat her now."
Every breath felt like fire. He was running on fumes, and the spectators' gaze only made it worse. With great disadvantages, how would he win?
He turned his gaze to Kirsaki, who was nonchalantly strolling towards the restaurant. Maeyurai wobbly rose to his feet, his breath uneven. He then took a step forward, his mind overwhelmed by the streaks of blurry shadows, drowning under the harsh rain.
The throbbing pain in his right foot was numbed by the cold, prickling sensation. But even as Maeyurai was disoriented, his eyes observed Kirsaki intently, as if trying to assimilate her every move. With his growing concentration came his Sense Boost and the horizontal slit.
"Hm?" Kirsaki hummed as she stopped a few meters away from Maeyurai, catching a glimpse of a bubble underneath his feet. "He has the same Affinity and Attribute as I do," she mumbled.
Then out of the blue, Maeyurai bolted, his speed slightly faster than it was earlier.
Kirsaki planted her feet, leaning into it as the waters rippled violently, and the bubbles started to form around her boots.
Maeyurai's eyes glanced to his left for a split second, looking for his longbow. Then, he stomped his foot once he reached Kirsaki's range.
She bit, and Maeyurai retracted, his front foot still anchored on the ground. And then suddenly, sparks started to form around his foot, immediately spreading out like a virus.
Crackle!
Maeyurai had conjured his lightning near his ankle, effectively using the rain and water in the environment as a way to attack Kirsaki directly.
The unexpected attack brought Kirsaki to her knees, electrocuted and temporarily paralysed by Maeyurai's lightning.
"Ngh!" she whimpered, unable to move.
With a swift pace, Maeyurai tilted his body and struck Kirsaki's legs with a round house kick, forcing her to fall on her side.
Lightning coursed from Maeyurai's feet, crackling across the wet floor, increasing the power output and letting Kirsaki feel every single prick of electricity.
"Resign," he demanded with a stern voice, his soaked hair covering his eyes.
Underneath him, Kirsaki trembled—not out of fear, but out of pain. She gritted her teeth tightly, breath heaving rapidly as she let out a muffled grunt.
"Absolutely not," she grunted out.
Then, out of instinct, she infused her entire body with lightning mana, the same way that she did to her feet to move quicker. Her body grew immune to the paralysis and regained control. She glared at Maeyurai, her hand reaching for the hilt of her katana.
Maeyurai's eyes snapped to her hand, his mind calculating an immediate response on the spot.
Kirsaki drew her katana, aiming to kill Maeyurai on the spot by decapitating him. However, she missed by a few inches due to Maeyurai reacting faster—his whole upper body leaning backwards to avoid her blade.
The people inside the restaurant were left speechless as they watched the battle, surprised by Kirsaki's unexpected display of bloodlust.
At the side, Asagi felt a cold sweat trickle down her cheek, a lump forming in her throat as she observed how close Kirsaki was to slitting Maeyurai's neck.
Maeyurai hopped backwards, growing cautious of Kirsaki's next moves.
She wants to kill me. Is she really that ruthless?
Either way, I'll have to survive what's to come. I don't think there's a rule that doesn't allow murder in duels here, purely because Asagi is not interfering after that strike.
Kirsaki spun the blade in her hand, walking towards Maeyurai with a scowl.
"That's never going to happen again," she said as she dragged the tip of her katana on the wet ground, the water around it bubbling, indicating that she had infused her blade with lightning mana.
"Thank you, and I don't intend on doing it again," replied Maeyurai. "I have other ways to beat you, after all."
Without a single word, Kirsaki darted forward, swinging her katana to cut Maeyurai's shoulder.
Maeyurai saw through the attack and conjured both a layer of fire and lightning, effectively culling her attack as he barely left with a scratch. He formed a lightning bolt in his hand and threw it towards her without physically touching it, so he wouldn't get electrocuted.
Kirsaki ducked and retracted her sword, only to be met with a kick to her face. However, Maeyurai's kick didn't have enough power; it was only enough to slow her down. She gripped his ankle and reeled him in before proceeding to smack his face with the hilt of her katana.
Upon being struck, Maeyurai felt the cold metal pummel him down to the ground; his back lay flat on the cold, wet surface. "Urgh!" he grunted, his head smacking against the ground, leaving him with a throbbing pain.
He propped his elbows, one of his legs still being held by Kirsaki.
Then, Kirsaki stabbed her sword, aiming at Maeyurai's eyes. Fortunately enough, he managed to move his head in time, his ears receiving the injury instead. He focused his lightning mana on his immobilised foot and managed to electrocute the lightning-infused Kirsaki for a split second.
"Tsk, how annoying."
In response, Kirsaki threw his feet away, retracted her sword, and attempted to stab him once more with an annoyed expression.
Just in time, Maeyurai rolled to the side and managed to get back up on his feet. However, he was still partially limping due to the gaping wound on his right foot.
The rain lightened as he stopped in his tracks, his boosted eyes observing Kirsaki's moves.
She rushed forward and struck his Achilles' heel, only for him to evade it by jumping up. Kirsaki's brows furrowed as she hadn't anticipated him to dodge the attack.
Once Maeyurai landed, the sharp stinging pain returned. But because of his immense concentration, he ignored it and continued running towards the docks.
"No, you don't," Kirsaki growled, chasing after Maeyurai right away.
The longbow was in sight, but Maeyurai was still far from reach. Kirsaki managed to catch up easily, plunging her blade forward to stab Maeyurai's calf.
Maeyurai lifted the targeted leg and avoided the attack, watching Kirsaki from the corner of his eye.
"I see it," he said confidently, his eyes travelling everywhere to consume every single piece of information in the surroundings.
Without a second thought, he kicked Kirsaki's face before she could pull her sword and gain the momentum to dodge.
Though just as usual, it didn't leave much impact as Kirsaki withstood the kick, budging only a little.
Maeyurai continued onwards and managed to take hold of his longbow again.
He drew his bow with a fire arrow, aiming carefully at Kirsaki underneath the lightening rain. He released, and the fire arrow glided through the damp air, its power weakened due to the difference in composition and temperature.
The fire arrow diminished and was easily sliced in half by Kirsaki.
"Do you still plan on beating me with your flawed and weakened mana?" she asked.
"Watch these flawed mana beat you," replied Maeyurai.
Kirsaki immediately assumed a form; she gripped her katana with one hand, the blade facing down. Her feet were aligned with one another vertically, creating a narrow look on her legs.
She focused most of her mana into her feet; the overflowing amount of lightning mana underneath her caused the water to boil and ripple violently. Then, she muttered the technique's name.
"Lightning Drive."
And before Maeyurai could react, she was already behind him, ready to stab.