Chapter 21: The Big Brawl

POV - Yellow

"Hah!"

"Haaaah!"

Clang! The sound of our blades locking echoed through the cave, accompanied by a violent shower of sparks.

The battle against the strongest had begun with a direct clash. After five seconds of a grueling stalemate, we were both blasted back to our original positions as if repelled by one another.

"Ghh...!"

"Heh."

I fired a surprise quick shot in a fraction of a second, but she countered it with a shot of her own, her bullet meeting mine head-on with perfect, unwavering precision.

"Hraaa!"

I lunged forward with a step so heavy it left a two-meter crack in the ground. As I unleashed a high right kick, she met it with her left leg. A shockwave rippled out from the point of impact, churning the surface of the fallen snow.

"Thunder God's Strike: Told Fist!"

"Whoops."

She dodged it with annoying ease.

"---!"

I switched my Phantom Sword to a reverse grip and moved into close-quarters combat. I had to gain whatever advantage I could before she started using the Togetsu style!

While I stayed on the offensive, Chrono remained defensive. I seemed to have the upper hand at first, but some strange technique of hers began pulling at every punch I threw, intentionally turning my strikes into wild, overextended swings.

"Here!"

She landed a palm strike from a high angle, followed fluidly by a second strike from the right, and finished with a roundhouse kick that slammed me into the wall.

She closed the distance in an instant and grabbed my arm.

"This right arm is going to be twisted off."

"Ghh!"

The image hit me like a physical blow!

I jerked my head to dodge her follow-up and tried to counter, but she whispered, "Your side is about to burst."

Boom!

I blew the wall behind me apart—taking myself with it—to gain distance and escape her relentless onslaught.

"..."

I pulled up my shirt to find my external armor spider-webbed with cracks.

"Haa... haa... haa..."

"Still too stiff. You have to synchronize your image with your actions. Haven't you ever played pretend? You know, like a superhero show."

Chrono fashioned a small pedestal out of the rubble and performed a dramatic, theatrical sequence right there on top of it.

"Imagine this is a jungle gym at a park! Slice through the enemy with one stroke! Sweep them all away with a laser rifle! Now, board the giant robot—fire the main cannon!"

She gave that distinct chuckle and nudged me forward.

"Hard to visualize? Then think about your own power instead. There are only four fundamental forces in this world: gravity, the strong force, the weak force, and electromagnetism. Listen. Electrical force acts on almost everything in existence. When you look at it that way... doesn't it feel like you can do anything?"

Think... think!

Crackle! Zap! Vrrrrt!

A torrent of energy—no, a raging flood—poured from my body, shaking the entire cave. Stray bolts of lightning shattered the icicles hanging from the ceiling, splitting them into sharp, jagged shards.

"Is this 'Round 2,' then?"

"Shut up. Let's finish this."

I can win now. I know I can.