Below Bullet

Mizuma braced himself, determination shining through his fear.

"Putting my fear behind, to beat you!" he declared resolutely.

"...Yume No Ju," Kuroshi murmured softly, summoning her weapon with a practiced ease.

"Well, that's just neat. You have a magical weapon!" Mizuma remarked, impressed by Kuroshi's summoning abilities.

Kuroshi wasted no time and fired a bullet at Mizuma, prompting him to react swiftly.

"Water Magic: Water Shield!" Mizuma exclaimed, conjuring a shield of water to block the incoming bullet.

"Hey... if you want to play dirty, I can play dirty too! Magical weapon, Tamashī No Kama!" Mizuma announced, summoning a blue scythe with a glowing aura.

"Woah!" Ryoshi gasped in amazement, his eyes widening at the sight of the formidable weapon.

"The summer students didn't have magical weapons, but I'm sure these guys do," Fuyu observed, noting the significant advantage the current combatants possessed.

"Yume No Ju, skill 1: Light Bullet Barrage!" Kuroshi unleashed a flurry of 13 light bullets towards Mizuma, her attack swift and precise.

"Pft, I don't need a weapon skill to counter this!" Mizuma scoffed confidently, ready to face the onslaught head-on.

"He was taught the way of the sea by our master," Nagarimu explained calmly, shedding light on Mizuma's unique fighting style.

"The way of the what?" Ryoshi questioned, intrigued by the unfamiliar term.

"It's a fighting style that allows him to control his movement through unnatural motions, allowing him to do a lot of unexpected things in battle. This also affects his weapon," Nagarimu elaborated, providing insight into Mizuma's unorthodox techniques.

Mizuma swiftly maneuvered, putting the snath of the scythe on top of his shoulder and releasing it, causing the weapon to spin around his arm with incredible speed. The scythe continued to whirl around his body like a human tornado, showcasing Mizuma's mastery of his unique fighting style.

Ryoshi observed the failed attempts of Kuroshi's bullets to reach Mizuma, perplexed by the situation unfolding before him.

"Why aren't her bullets reaching him..." he muttered, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"He also knows a little bit of mana release," Nagarimu interjected, offering an explanation for Mizuma's uncanny evasion.

"You don't say..." Fuyu remarked, intrigued by the revelation.

"What's that?" Ryoshi inquired, eager to understand the newfound information.

"Mana release is an old technique created by one of the spring seasons. It allows you to release mana in your body without turning it into magic, enabling you to control your environment or even manipulate someone else's mana or magic," Nagarimu explained, shedding light on the intricate technique.

"Mizuma is using a technique called Platz, which creates an invisible area of his mana in the vicinity. This allows him to partially control any magical attack in the area," Nagarimu elaborated, revealing the specifics of Mizuma's defensive strategy.

"Nagarimuuuuu, shut up! The opponent can hear you," Enerida scolded, realizing the potential consequences of Nagarimu's divulgence.

"I used a sound barrier move that blocks sound from coming to the arena," Nagarimu clarified, addressing Enerida's concern.

As the bullets made contact with Mizuma, they were deflected back towards Kuroshi, catching her off guard.

"Defensive Magic: Reversal Shield!" Kuroshi reacted quickly, conjuring a magic shield to deflect the incoming bullets. However, the bullets stacked on top of each other, forming one large projectile.

The spin of Mizuma's scythe slowed down, and with a swift stroke, he destroyed the bullet, showcasing his skillful maneuvering and control over the battlefield.

Kuroshi stared in disbelief at Mizuma, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"...You..." she began, her voice trailing off as she processed the unfolding situation.

Mizuma stumbled forward, but with remarkable agility, he prevented himself from falling by touching the ground and executing a graceful flip towards Kuroshi.

"Skill 1: Body Double!" Mizuma announced, tossing his scythe into the air. From his back emerged two arms made of water, which deftly caught the airborne weapon.

"What the-" Kuroshi's words were cut short as Mizuma swiftly closed the distance between them, seizing her gun with practiced precision.

"Skill 1: Double!" Mizuma continued, his arms swinging the scythe towards Kuroshi. The weapon hooked onto something on her cheek, and with a swift motion, Mizuma conjured a full-sized water duplicate of Kuroshi.

"Water Magic: Power Stream!" Mizuma exclaimed, unleashing a powerful beam of water from his hand towards Kuroshi's stomach. The force of the blast sent her flying backward, although she managed to land safely on her feet. The water arms on Mizuma's back vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

"What... is that me?" Kuroshi questioned, eyeing the water duplicate with a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Yes, it is! Too bad it doesn't do anything," Mizuma taunted, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Then why did you-" Kuroshi began, only to be interrupted by Mizuma's sudden outburst.

"IS WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IF I WAS HONEST!!!" Mizuma retorted, his voice filled with a hint of mischief.

"...Yeah, I'll just destroy it before it could do anything," Kuroshi decided, taking aim and firing three bullets at the duplicate. Upon impact, Kuroshi was unexpectedly knocked back by an unseen force, her expression registering surprise and frustration.

Kuroshi watched with a mix of surprise and concern as Mizuma revealed the sinister nature of his ability.

"Huh..." she muttered, absorbing the implications of his explanation.

"Yes, whatever damage you do to this clone, it does back to you!!! This clone has the same amount of durability as you, and if it's destroyed completely by you, you die," Mizuma confirmed, a smirk playing on his lips.

"What's the con of this ability? There's always one for abilities like that," Kuroshi inquired, her brow furrowing in suspicion.

"The only reason I'll tell you the con is because I want to see you fail to overcome this! The con of this ability is that only the person that was copied can harm the clone," Mizuma divulged, his tone laced with arrogance.

"That's easy to fight," Kuroshi remarked confidently, her eyes narrowing in determination.

"Anyways, it's about time I increase the difficulty of this fight, AND DEAL MY WICKED BLOW," Mizuma declared with a sinister gleam in his eyes.

"Wicked blow?" Kuroshi questioned, her senses on high alert.

"Water Magic: Harpoon Lake," Mizuma announced, and water began to surge from beneath his feet, flooding the arena floor.

"What is this?" Kuroshi exclaimed, leaping into the air to avoid the water spikes that erupted from below.

"Get down from there. Water Magic: Water Chain," Mizuma commanded, and a chain emerged from the water, ensnaring Kuroshi and pulling her towards the deadly spikes.

"Skill 1: Light Dash," Kuroshi countered swiftly, firing a light bullet at Mizuma and teleporting to the space between him and the clone.

"Wow, you came right to me! SNIPER," Mizuma taunted, swiping at Kuroshi with his scythe. But Kuroshi evaded the blow, causing Mizuma's attack to inadvertently slice the clone in half, destroying it.

"Wait-" Mizuma began, but before he could react further, Kuroshi struck him forcefully with her gun, delivering a series of swift kicks to his stomach. She finished her assault with a final blow to his skull, causing him to stagger backward, blood trickling from his mouth.

Mizuma's voice cut through the tension like a razor's edge, sharp and confident. "Oh, you want to be that way, huh? Let me demonstrate why I'M the assassin!"

With a swift motion, Mizuma vanished into thin air, leaving only a faint whisper of his presence behind.

Kuroshi's breath caught in her throat. "Where did he g-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mizuma materialized in front of her, his scythe slicing through the air with deadly precision. But Kuroshi was quick to react, raising her gun just in time to block the attack, their weapons clashing in a symphony of metal.

"Brilliant, Mizuma," Nagarimu's voice echoed through the chaos. "You managed to get her up close!"

Ryoshi's gaze remained steady. "Kuroshi could beat that guy up close."

Nagarimu's eyes gleamed with hidden knowledge. "Mizuma wields a scythe for a reason. He excels at up close combat."

Mizuma's power surged, catching Kuroshi off guard and throwing her off balance. With a swift strike, he punched her in the stomach, sending her staggering backward.

"I call this," Mizuma declared, his voice dripping with confidence, "MY WICKED BLOWS."

Launching himself toward Kuroshi once more, Mizuma unleashed a flurry of slashes, each one finding its mark with deadly accuracy.

Kuroshi's mind raced as she blocked Mizuma's relentless assault. *Why isn't this cutting me? Isn't this a scythe?*

In a bold move, Kuroshi blocked one of Mizuma's slashes with her left hand, seizing his arm with her other hand. With a fierce headbutt and a powerful kick, she sent Mizuma sprawling away from her.

"If I didn't have dull mode activated right now," Mizuma remarked, his voice cool and collected, "the first slash I landed on you would've totally killed you without a doubt."

"Dull mode?" Kuroshi questioned, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"It's the second skill of my weapon," Mizuma explained, his tone matter-of-fact, "and it allows my blade to not cut people, but bring the same pain as a normal cut, and also drain mana. Now, time for me to go ASSASSIN MOOOOOODEAAAA."

"Assassin mode?" Kuroshi's eyes widened with apprehension.

Mizuma's lips curled into a smirk as he channeled his magic. "Water Magic: Containment Bubble."

In an instant, a massive bubble enveloped the battlefield.

Mizuma snapped his right finger, a sharp sound cutting through the air.

"Alright! Multiply!!!" he commanded, his voice ringing with authority.

In response, the bubbles surrounding them multiplied, swirling and expanding until they enveloped them both.

"Over 200 bubbles have been created!" Mizuma announced triumphantly.

Kuroshi met his declaration with a defiant smirk. "I'm just letting this happen, so I can embarrass you more when I win this."

Mizuma's grin widened. "Good luck on that. Skill 1: Double."

With a swift movement, Mizuma vanished into thin air, leaving only a ripple of his presence behind.

"He's going for a sneak attack," Fuyu observed, her eyes keen and focused.

Ryoshi raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

Fuyu's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Becaaaause, I can see him. He might be fast, but he's not that fast."

True to Fuyu's prediction, Mizuma materialized behind Kuroshi in a flash, his scythe slicing through the air with deadly intent. But Kuroshi was ready, blocking the attack with practiced ease.

Mizuma vanished once more, leaving his scythe suspended in mid-air. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Kuroshi, delivering a swift kick to her back before snatching his weapon and slashing her across the chest.

A water duplicate of Kuroshi emerged from her body, propelled into one of the bubbles by the force of the attack. Kuroshi staggered, blocking a barrage of strikes from Mizuma before one blow sent her weapon flying from her grasp.

With a calculated move, Mizuma swept Kuroshi off her feet using the belly of his scythe, delivering a powerful blow with the handle of the weapon that sent her crashing to the ground.

"Ready to give up?" Mizuma taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.

Kuroshi gritted her teeth, determination shining in her eyes. "I can't keep up with you in close combat, but... awaken."

A brilliant light erupted from Kuroshi, catching Mizuma off guard.

"Yume No Ju Ga Mezameta," she declared, her voice resonating with power.

Nagarimu's eyes gleamed with interest. "How fascinating. She's also awakened her weapon."

Ryoshi's expression turned serious. "Wait, does he also have an awakening?"

Nagarimu's voice cut through the tension, calm and composed. "No... but I do."

Enerida's voice interjected sharply. "SHUT UP NAGARIMU, YOU'RE GIVING YOUR OPPONENT TOO MUCH INFORMATION ON YOURSELF."

Nagarimu remained unfazed. "I see nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't be surprised if I lose to him because of it. I'm not trying to prove myself; I'm trying to pass this test."

Undeterred by the exchange, Kuroshi teleported to Mizuma, launching a swift punch in his direction. But Mizuma was prepared, blocking the blow with his scythe and unleashing a powerful shockwave that reverberated through the arena.

"You're strong... and fast," Mizuma acknowledged, his tone tinged with admiration. "I'm ready to fight you now!!!"

In an instant, both combatants vanished from sight, their movements too swift for the eye to follow.

"Hyper-sonic fighting when???" Fuyu's voice echoed with excitement.

Ryoshi's confusion was evident. "Wait, they're fighting?"

"Yeah, but really fast," Fuyu confirmed, her voice tinged with awe.

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the arena, the force of it shaking the ground beneath their feet.

"There they are," Ryoshi announced, pointing toward the epicenter of the explosion.

Mizuma flipped away from Kuroshi's position, but she wasted no time, teleporting and delivering a powerful punch to his stomach.

"Not... again," Mizuma grunted, his voice strained with effort.

Seizing the opportunity, Mizuma grabbed Kuroshi's fist and countered with a swift kick to her abdomen, followed by a slashing motion that created another duplicate of Kuroshi. The duplicate was propelled into a nearby bubble, leaving Kuroshi to face Mizuma alone.

But Kuroshi was not one to back down easily. With determination burning in her eyes, she pushed Mizuma away using her free hand, creating some distance between them.

Mizuma's voice cut through the air, filled with determination. "Alright, now that I've got a real taste of what you can do, I am ready for combat."

Kuroshi barely had a chance to respond before Mizuma dashed toward her, launching a relentless assault. But Kuroshi was equally swift, blocking each strike with precision and fighting back with ferocity. Their movements were a dance of skill and agility, each attack met with a counter, none of them managing to land a blow on the other.

"They seem really even," Ryoshi observed, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

Fuyu's admiration was palpable. "I'm starting to want this to continue. It's beautiful how exactly coordinated their attacks are. It's almost like they're complete equals."

Enerida's voice cut in, injecting a note of skepticism. "Winter season, I think you're wrong about that. Kuroshi is the one using her awakening to fight him. If it wasn't for her awakening, she wouldn't stand a chance."

Fuyu conceded the point with a nod. "Yeah, I guess so."

Mizuma flipped back, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Skill 4: Chain Scythe," Mizuma declared.

With a swift motion, he threw his scythe into the air. The blade disappeared, and the scythe split into two halves, connected by a blue chain. Blades sprouted from each half, transforming them into smaller versions of his original weapon. Catching the scythes effortlessly, Mizuma spun one of them around with practiced ease.

"Now, it's about time you receive twice the amount of wicked blows I've given you," Mizuma announced confidently.

"Bring it," Kuroshi responded, her voice steady despite the mounting pressure.

Mizuma surged forward, launching a barrage of attacks at Kuroshi. Though she managed to block a few, she was soon overwhelmed by the onslaught of strikes from the dual scythes. With each blow, Mizuma created duplicates of Kuroshi, trapping them in bubbles one after another.

Desperate, Kuroshi teleported away, but Mizuma was relentless, closing the distance with astonishing speed. As she attempted to strike him, Mizuma effortlessly evaded her attack, using her arm as a springboard to wrap the chains of his scythes around her neck, cutting off her air supply.

I haven't felt so slow in a while, Kuroshi thought frantically. I need to get out of this quickly and end this fight before I run out of mana.

"I know she can do this," Ryoshi remarked, his voice filled with confidence. "She's made comebacks before."

But Enerida's tone was grim. "It's near impossible to make a comeback against someone whose main role is to end fights very quickly. If you stall an assassin, that assassin's role has no meaning. They just turn into an everyday fighter. Besides, I can tell from this fight that someone's going to fall for something."

Toruri's voice was filled with apprehension as he whispered to Ryoshi.

"Ryoshi," he said quietly.

"Hm?" Ryoshi responded, turning to face him.

"I'm fighting this guy?! He seems like a very intelligent person, and I am good at strategy, but I don't think I could outsmart that guy," Toruri confessed, a hint of worry in his tone.

Ryoshi shrugged, offering a reassuring smile. "Who knows, it might be a brawn over brains matchup."

Meanwhile, Kuroshi teleported into the air, her resolve evident in her every movement.

"Now, it's time to end this for real," she declared, her voice ringing out with determination.

Mizuma's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hm? Don't make me come up there!"

Without hesitation, Kuroshi activated her skill.

"Skill 1: Canon," she announced, her hand transforming into a cannon that fired a powerful beam of light down toward Mizuma.

Mizuma's response was swift. "I win. Pop."

In an instant, the bubbles containing the Kuroshi duplicates burst, releasing a cascade of clones that covered the ground below and around Mizuma.

Toruri's voice rose with alarm. "That idiot! Is he trying to kill her!?"

"WHAT!? KILL!?" Ryoshi exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

Toruri explained urgently, his words urgent. "The damage of the clones stack on top of each other, and from what I'm seeing right now, if she kills the clones with that attack, she will be killed many times over."

Fuyu's voice cut through the tension. "This comes down to endurance."

With a quick incantation, Mizuma summoned a barrier of water around himself, just in time to shield himself from the impending attack.

The beam struck Mizuma and the clones, the force of it sending Kuroshi tumbling out of the sky. Her weapon disappeared, leaving her defenseless as she landed hard on the unforgiving ground below. Meanwhile, Mizuma stood firm, his barrier protecting him as the clones remained intact around him.

Ryoshi's voice trembled with concern. "Is she..."

Mizuma cut in, his tone casual. "Nope, but she sure is knocked out cold! If she were to die, these clones would disappear."

Ryoshi shuddered at the thought. "I couldn't imagine how much that would have hurt."

Nagarimu interjected, his voice flat. "I could."

Ryoshi pleaded, "Don't tell me, please."

Nagarimu relented with a simple "Ok."

Fuyu's voice broke the tense silence. "Uuuuuh, oh yeah. BY...K.O THE WINNER IS MIZUMA!!!"

Toruri's disappointment was palpable. "First round and we already lost? This isn't going to be a good round."

Fuyu addressed him sternly. "Toruri! You're up next."

Toruri sighed heavily. "Ah yeah... shit."

Fuyu reprimanded him. "Language, young man. You and Enerida can go into the arena now."

Toruri nodded, steeling himself for the upcoming battle. "Yes, sir."

A few minutes later...

The arena lay empty, cleaned and prepared for the next match. Enerida and Toruri stood poised inside, ready to begin their battle.

Fuyu's voice boomed through the arena. "Ok, guys, 3. 2. 1. GOOOOOOOOO!!!"