I focused my consciousness, kneading my SP, and opened my mouth.
"Sagitta Magica: Series Flammeus! (Magic Archer: Seven Arrows of Flame!)"
I poured an massive amount of SP into the spell. The arrows of fire that manifested weren't the usual red; they had turned a brilliant, high-temperature blue.
"Oh? You've modified it, I see. They're quite different from standard fire arrows."
"Why don't you taste them and find out for yourself... Go!"
With my command, the seven arrows took flight. Ordinarily, they would fly in a straight line, but I used the visualization techniques I'd honed with the Phantom to make each arrow dance along a different, unpredictable trajectory.
"Resourceful," the boy murmured, still wearing that vacant expression. He didn't even try to dodge. He simply stood there, watching the incoming projectiles... no, he was observing them.
I felt a pang of suspicion at his stillness, but I decided I had to make contact to see what I was dealing with. I sent the roaring blue flames straight into him. And then...
"...What?"
The moment the arrows reached him, they shattered into sparks, as if they had slammed into a solid wall.
What happened? Wait... I see. Is it a permanent magical barrier, like the one Eva uses?!
"...Hmm. The power was also beyond my expectations. I didn't think a mere Sagitta Magica would make my barrier creak like that. Perhaps I underestimated your side's combat potential. But now, it's my turn."
He whispered the words and vanished. Shundo?!
No—Crap!
I twisted my body instinctively. A split second later, the boy's palm thrust passed right by my face, the sheer force of the strike cutting the air.
"Hah!"
His arm was fully extended right next to my head. I lunged with my left fist, aiming to shatter his elbow joint.
"Oops."
He pulled his elbow back just in time to avoid the break. But I wasn't done!
As he retracted his arm, I tracked the joint again. I lunged with my right hand, grabbing his elbow in a vice-like grip... and crushed it.
A sickening, wet crunch echoed through the clearing as the silver-haired boy's right elbow was reduced to splinters.
"...Eh?"
The voice didn't come from me. It didn't come from the boy. It didn't even come from Sakurazaki, who was currently trading blows with the swordswoman named Tsukuyomi. It was Negi.
"Wait, Axel?! Was that really necessary?!"
Kagurazaka screamed as well, her voice frantic.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the breath to explain.
"You didn't even flinch when I crushed your joint," I noted, watching him. "...Are you even human?"
"Now, I wonder. I don't see any reason to give information to an enemy."
We backed away from each other, wary of every twitch and breath. What followed was a pure display of martial arts. Since he had a magical barrier that triggered on impact, I focused primarily on counter-attacking. If I used my Direct Hit spirit command, I could probably nullify the barrier, but I wasn't ready to show my trump card yet.
I dodged his one-handed thrusts and palm strikes by a hair's breadth, throwing counters into the gaps. But he was a genius; he read my counters and countered them in turn. I lunged for a sweep to take his legs; he leaped into the air and transitioned into a mid-air roundhouse aimed at my neck.
How long did this dance last? It couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes, yet it felt like an eternity.
I slipped past a punch aimed at my throat and closed in, throwing an upward elbow strike intended to take his jaw off. He sensed the intent, leaping backward and landing softly on the grass.
"Hmm. It seems we're at an impasse."
"...Looks that way," I agreed, letting out a bitter sigh.
"You realize it too, don't you? In terms of raw physical ability, you are superior."
"And you have the edge in technique," I finished for him.
It was true. This boy possessed close-quarters combat skills that exceeded even my Level 9 Infight. The only reason I was holding my own—and winning—was due to the gap in our physical stats and the fact that I'd neutralized his right arm at the start.
"There's something... 'off' about the way you fight," the boy mused. "I don't think melee combat is your true specialty, is it?"
"Who knows."
"Well, no matter. I understand why Chigusa-san brought me along now, and I've confirmed the strength of an 'irregular' like you. This trip was worth it. ...By the way, may I have your name?"
"...Axel Almar. And yours?"
"Fate Averruncus. As long as you stay in this land, I imagine we'll clash again. I look forward to it. Chigusa-san, we're leaving."
The boy—Fate—called out to the woman in the monkey suit.
Seeing the opening, I used Shundo to blink back to Negi and Kagurazaka's side.
"Whoa! You can teleport too?!" Kagurazaka yelped. For some reason, she was brandishing a giant paper fan, and Konoe was lying on the ground safely behind her. They must have snatched her back while I was distracting Fate.
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