The stranger's eyes locked onto Hoshi, cold and commanding, ice forming faintly along his hands.
Hoshi spun sharply, turning backward and sprinting, keeping his gaze fixed on the figure closing in.
Snow crunched beneath his boots, each breath ragged, yet he pushed forward without faltering.
He spotted two stones and three sticks nearby, bending slightly to scoop them up while running.
"Science… I trust you… at least for the first time in my life," he muttered under his breath.
Rubbing the stones together, sparks flew, igniting the sticks into a small, steady flame for strategy.
The stranger smirked, gliding forward effortlessly, ice forming at his fingertips like lethal extensions.
Hoshi held the small flame, pointing toward him. "Step closer, and your ice melts," he warned calmly.
The stranger's smirk widened. "Do you think fire can stop me?" he asked, advancing steadily.
He reached out, but the ice melted before contact, leaving him momentarily unsettled by Hoshi's tactic.
Hoshi sprinted backward, then dropped a small explosion at his feet to force distance between them.
The stranger's hand shot forward, dagger forming from inside his mouth, ice sharp and deadly.
Hoshi pivoted, dodging the first strike, explosions pushing him slightly upward to avoid the icy blade.
The stranger slashed across Hoshi's face, cheek to eyebrow, blood instantly freezing as hollow eyes appeared.
Pain surged violently, but it triggered his explosive ability, propelling him into the air with raw force.
Landing roughly, he flipped, kicking toward the stranger, explosions erupting beneath his feet.
The stranger blocked instinctively, mist curling, smirk widening at Hoshi's reflexive power.
Hoshi didn't speak, analyzing the ice patterns, reading movements, silently planning his next explosive counter.
He feinted left, planting an explosion, then pivoted, forcing the stranger to deflect and lose balance slightly.
Hoshi used a stick to flick fire, forcing the stranger to momentarily halt as ice melted unexpectedly.
He smirked, barely moving, silently calculating how each strike, block, and explosion could create an advantage.
The stranger hurled ice shards, each deflected by well-timed explosive pushes, snow and ice scattering violently.
He forms ice which roams around his hand, he aims at Hoshi and charges it "Let's step it up a bear. In the next ten seconds... I'll give it atleast more than my lowest and that's enough to beat you"
Hoshi Shiragane jumps and leaps forward towards the stranger.
The stranger says, "Bring it on... Weakling"
Hoshi twisted midair, landing a kick, explosion propelling him past the dagger, creating distance and momentum.
He noticed the stranger's pattern: ice always forms before striking, leaving a fraction of a second to react.
Using that, Hoshi exploded off one foot, flipping, kicking toward the side to force the foe to pivot defensively.
The stranger blocked partially, mist curling violently, but Hoshi's speed and explosions kept him slightly off balance.
Hoshi landed softly, then detonated another foot explosion, sending shards flying in a precise arc.
The stranger deflected some, but others hit trees, freezing them instantly, snow scattering into the wind.
Hoshi darted behind a frozen tree, sticking one foot into the snow to create a small explosion push.
The stranger anticipated, spinning midair, slicing ice toward Hoshi's cover, but the explosion propelled him higher.
Hoshi landed on a small rise, flipping backward, then pushing forward with a double-foot blast to close distance.
The stranger hurled a rapid succession of ice shards, but Hoshi's explosions scattered most before impact.
Hoshi tossed the burning stick, igniting a small patch of snow to distract, forcing the stranger to pivot slightly.
He slipped into the distraction, using explosions beneath his boots to propel diagonally, landing near another cluster of stones.
The stranger paused, ice forming beneath him like blades, trying to predict Hoshi's next movement.
Hoshi stayed silent, mind calculating, timing every explosive push and every dodge to exploit ice patterns.
He exploded forward, kicking midair, forcing the stranger to block with a dagger, deflecting shards into frozen snow.
The stranger blocked, mist twisting violently, but Hoshi pushed another explosion underfoot to shift momentum.
Hoshi kept moving, silent, calculating, his body reacting faster than thought, explosive footwork dictating the pace.
The stranger adapted quickly, ice forming rapidly, dagger flicking, mist twisting, aura radiating constant threat.
Hoshi jumped, flipped, exploded off snow and stone, dodging multiple slashes, keeping the fight tactical and unpredictable.
He kicked from midair, each explosion testing ice coverage and gaps in the stranger's guard.
The stranger blocked, ice cracking, but Hoshi had already predicted the next angle, shifting midair explosively.
Hoshi landed, spun, detonated another small blast underfoot, throwing fire at the ice to create temporary openings.
The stranger hesitated briefly, caught between melting ice and attacks, his white aura flaring slightly.
Hoshi pushed off his boots again, landing a hard flip-kick, snow and shards scattering violently around them.
Both paused momentarily, breathing heavily, observing, anticipating, each waiting for the other's next tactical move.
Hoshi's black eyes glimmered, silent focus sharp, explosions still ready to react instinctively, problem-solving with every step.
The stranger's white aura flared faintly, ice forming sharply, mist curling, calculating, poised, dangerous and lethal.
They circled each other slowly, aware of distance, timing, openings, waiting, testing, each movement deliberate, strategic.
Hoshi stepped lightly, explosive foot ready, fire stick flicking intermittently, forcing reaction from the stranger.
The stranger lunged, dagger aimed precisely, but Hoshi exploded off one foot mid-turn, barely dodging the lethal strike.
Snow and ice flew violently, forest trembling under every impact, tactical exchanges of skill, power, and intellect.
Hoshi adjusted constantly, calculating ice patterns, using explosions to force openings, fire to distract strategically.
The stranger responded immediately, ice forming, dagger flicking, mist twisting, aura radiating lethal intent.
Hoshi kept silent, analyzing, adapting, moving explosively, each kick a measured test of the stranger's defense.
The stranger's approach became faster, attacks sharper, yet Hoshi's foot explosions maintained unpredictable trajectory, creating small advantages.
Hoshi pivoted, exploded off a stone, kicked midair, landing softly while observing openings in ice coverage.
The stranger deflected, mist curling, white aura flaring, but Hoshi already planned the next explosion and fire flick.
Hoshi twisted midair, flipping, kicking with precise explosions beneath each foot, keeping the stranger on constant defensive motion.
The stranger blocked, but Hoshi anticipated every angle, movement flowing with calculation, silent genius fully engaged.
The stranger's eyes narrowed, white fog swirling, dagger flicking dangerously, mist curling sharply as he read Hoshi's tactics.
Hoshi landed softly, pivoting, explosions primed, fire flicking intermittently, each movement calculated for maximum effect.
The tension mounted, both aware that any misstep could decide the fight, strategic testing reaching its peak.
Hoshi stepped forward, black eyes glimmering, silent focus unbroken, each foot ready to trigger another explosive burst.
The stranger advanced, white fog curling, dagger poised, aura flickering, ice forming rapidly, every step calculated, deliberate.
They paused briefly, measuring each other, silent strategy exchanged through movement, timing, and aura of potential energy.
The stranger stands up.
His eyes completely white, white fog forming around him.
The stranger tilts his head sideways.
Hoshi steps forward toward the stranger.
His eyes go completely black.
Black aura forming around his whole body.
The stranger's aura feels like an angel protecting heaven.
Hoshi's aura feels like a devil entering to destroy the heaven