Return of the Fallen Volume 7 Chapter 71
As soon as Danny beckoned Kazuki over, he also began to close the outer perimeter of lightning, shrinking the circle, and closing the wall of lightning around Kazuki more and more.
Kazuki wanted to test Danny a bit more but it seemed as if Danny wouldn’t give him the chance.
(I wanted to see more of his skill but he wants to end things here and now. Fine with me. Afterward, there will be plenty of time to see your true limits. For now, though, let me end this.)
Kazuki could feel the heat of the lightning as it enclosed from behind him. The blue flames beneath his feet burned brighter and he streaked across the sky.
The two were a mere 200 or so feet from one another so the distance was closed in an instant. Danny was surrounded by a barrier of lightning. Kazuki once more threw out hundreds of metal rods to try and break the chain of lightning.
The lightning jumped forward towards the rods and was pulled away from Danny’s body. Kazuki pulled a sword from his storage ring and swung forward. Danny as well slashed at Kazuki. His sword splitting into two, and then three, and then four.
(He broke my lightning and rushed in just as planned but who says those rods can hold my lightning forever.)
Kazuki wasn’t as adept at using the sword forms as Danny was but what he lacked in the strange way of the sword, he made up for in pure speed. Danny’s single swing brought dozens of swords down on Kazuki, While Kazuki on the other hand swung his blade dozens of times over to intercept. His speed was extreme and cut through the many illusions Danny brought about while also intercepting Danny’s real blade.
Danny expected such speed though. His aura charging outward, it came at Kazuki like a Warhammer. Kazuki in turn slashed at Danny’s aura like a giant cleaver and split his aura apart.
Danny was waiting for this moment. His aura just like Tozu’s came from behind. It grabbed the rods still in the air and stabbed them all toward Kazuki all at once. The lightning was already jumping between metal rods back and forth. The rods were just about to touch Kazuki when Kazuki’s ring opened up and thousands of Motozu scales surrounded his body.
*Tzzzt Tzzztzt*
The lightning was reflected away and shot off into the distant sky. At the same time, Kazukiappeared before Danny, his blade came slashing down at Danny’s large body.
(I knew he’d appear in front of me, he loves close combat. This swing of his will be useless though. God metal on god metal, neither my body nor the blade will be damaged. However, he swings with such wild abandon that there will be heavy recoil. That should knock him back ever so slightly. In that small fraction of a second, I’ll grab him. I can’t overpower him with brute strength but that hold will give me another opportunity to fire this beam of water and lightning. I told him I can’t do it but that was merely a faint.)
Confidence flowed from Danny as the gears in his mind spun at a million miles an hour. He was thinking several steps ahead when he came up with this plan.
Kazuki’s sword came down upon Danny and Danny was more than willing to take the blow for his opportunity, however, the expected did not happen.
The moment Kazuki’s sword came into contact with Danny’s large frame, there was no heavy impact whatsoever. Instead, the blade in Kazuki’s hand changed shape in an instant. It became flexible like rubber and snaked its way around Danny’s left arm and right ankle. Connecting together it made a cuff and bound Danny in an instant.
The silver glow in Danny’s eye became brighter as if to signify the shock but it wasn’t over just yet.
Kazuki vanished and appeared behind Danny in an instant.
Danny’s free arm turned 180 degrees around and swung at Kazuki’s face but Kazuki caught it and pinned it between his body and Danny’s. Danny didn’t stop and kicked behind him but Kazuki simply caught his leg between his legs and held him like a vice. Now every single limb of Danny’s was either cuffed or held in place by Kazuki’s own.
Kazuki though still had one free hand left. Reaching over Danny’s back, Kazuki grabbed hold of one of the three chest plates protecting Danny’s Magic core. Using aura strengthening as well as his ki, Kazuki’s strength erupted and multiplied, climbing toward the upper echelons of what was possible. With all the strength he had in his body, Kazuki pulled and opened up one of the chest plates, revealing a small part of the Magic core.
His hand dove into Danny’s chest and gripped the Magic core like a giant ape. The moment his core was in Kazuki’s hand, Danny felt death had arrived and he froze for an instant.
“Hehehe. It looks like it’s my win!”
Danny had no such thing as lungs nor breath but at this moment he felt as if he sighed in grave relief. It was only for a split second but he really felt that Kazuki was about to kill him. Only after Kazuki’s nonchalant laugh, did Danny snap back to reality and remembered that Kazuki was his friend.
“It’s…my loss.”
With those simple words, Kazuki released Danny and took back his metal bindings. The lighting all around faded away and Danny was rubbing his head analyzing things right away.
“I knew you could change the shape of god metal but you usually like to scrap and brawl. I could have sworn you’d simply hack slash punch and kick but that wasn’t the case.”
Kazuki shrugged his shoulders.
“You know me quite well but you seemed to forget is how adaptable I am. Just like when I fought the Motozu, I had to bind it as well. You can’t expect me to actually fight you how I normally do, not when you know all of my moves inside and out.”
Danny nodded before curling a finger. His aura swept outward and grabbed one of the orichalcum rods lying on the ground.
“I too gave up far too easily. Now that I think about it, you binding me caught me by surprise but if I just had a few more seconds I would have remembered that I can command all of the elements with the ancient hand symbols you use.”
Danny’s left hand began to quickly flash ancient hand symbols and change shape. Because his hand was artificial and he could move all of the parts in it individually. The signs he made were more fluid than Kazuki’s and he gathered magic faster than even Kazuki. In only two seconds he flashed the correct ancient hand signs and the metal rod in his hand changed shape and twisted about like a floppy noodle before finally straightening out once more.
“All of your memories I know. I should have used the ancient hand symbols to free myself from your binding. The ending of our battle may have been different.”
Kazuki grabbed the metal rod and his ring glowed. He bent the metal rod into all kinds of shapes and manipulated the metal far faster than Danny before finally storing it away.
“Maybe the fight would have ended differently or maybe things would have turned out the same. You were thinking many moves ahead but did you think I was just playing around with a thumb up my ass? Still, you were definitely a good opponent. Still, things would be interesting if we didn’t hold back.”
“Kazuki, you think I held back?”
Kazuki smirked at Danny.
“Look at our environment. I can smash mountains with my fist and you can destroy them with that weird energy beam of water and lightning. Yet, besides this valley looking like a wasteland, the surrounding area was largely unaffected. We who can devastate the world around us for hundreds of miles only did so much to a small valley. Of course, we held back.”
The silver glow in Danny’s eyes grew brighter as if to say he was surprised.
“You knew I could use the Motozu’s beam attack?”
“Danny, do you honestly think you are the only one who has observed the other? You know me and I can already tell a few things about you. Maybe not to the same extent but I see many things.”
As he said that, the dark energy in his compass swirled and a voice entered Kazuki’s mind.
(Kazuki…)
Kazuki was curious as to why Zetrazz had been so quiet up to now. Usually, he craves for Kazuki to fight but he was silent the entire time Kazuki and Danny exchanged lessons with one another. Albeit their battle was quite short and Zetrazz would not have had much time to say anything anyway. Still, Kazuki’s exasperated voice rang out in his own head.
(What is it Zetrazz?)
(Hmm, where is your enthusiasm? The great me calls to you and you respond like a dying ant.)
Kazuki had no clue what that meant and was silent when Zetrazz spoke once more.
(That attitude will do you no favors. To think I was actually gonna warn you about the watchful eyes in the distance. Sigh, how can an ant like you not show even an ounce of appreciation.)
(WHAT!)
The dark energy swirled about lazily and Zetrazz spoke once more.
(Did I stutter? Enemy eyes are on you as we speak. 6…7 oh 8 pairs are glaring at you right now.)
Comment (0)