Chapter 10: Fighting (2)
One of the swords drifted closer to his hand, and when he grasped it, the weapon felt perfectly balanced, like it had been made specifically for him. Which, he supposed, it had been.
"Well," Kazuma said, his grin returning full force. "This just got a lot more interesting."
The heat around him intensified, and Haruto could see the air itself starting to warp and dance. The concrete under Kazuma’s feet began to crack and bubble.
"Let’s see what you can really do, Haruto."
Kazuma didn’t waste any time with more talking. The moment the words left his mouth, he launched himself forward, his fist blazing with superheated air. The concrete where he’d been standing was left cracked and smoking.
Haruto barely had time to raise his light sword before Kazuma’s burning fist collided with the sword. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and sparks of white light scattered everywhere as the two powers clashed.
"Not bad!" Kazuma grunted, pushing harder against the sword. Where his skin touched the light blade, steam hissed and popped, but the weapon held firm. "But let’s see how you handle this!"
He spun away and immediately launched into a flurry of punches, each one trailing flames and superheated air. Haruto found himself backing up rapidly, using his sword to deflect and parry the attacks. Every time Kazuma’s fists met his blade, the sound was like metal striking an anvil.
But Haruto wasn’t just defending. With a mental command, he sent one of his floating swords spinning toward Kazuma’s left side while he engaged the front with his held weapon.
Kazuma’s eyes widened as he noticed the approaching sword. He threw himself backward, but not quite fast enough. The light sword carved a shallow line across his ribs, cutting through his school uniform like it was tissue paper.