*Kiiiiiiiiin!*(1)
Hiiro: 「Tch-!」
Camus: 「The sand is...alive.」
Hiiro: (What in the hell...above!?)
Hiiro: (Damn! It’s difficult to move!)
*Bashin-!*(2)
Sivan: 「J-just now…!?」
Liliyn: 「Kukuku(3).」
Sivan: 「Was that magic just now? No, there were no signs of any magical attribute...in which case...」
Sivan: 「In other words, it has no attribute...right?」
Liliyn: 「Kuku, as expected, you noticed it Sivan.」
Sivan: 「I knew that you wouldn’t go on a journey with just any ordinary fellow. Even so, to think you’d be travelling with a Unique Magic user is quite a shock.」
Liliyn: 「The fun part has still yet to come.」
Hiiro: (Fuu(5), that was dangerous. This fight is more difficult than I had anticipated. To think I’d be made to use the word 「Protect」 『防』 so soon.)
Hiiro: (There doesn’t seem to be too much damage...)
Camus: 「What you are trying to do…...I won’t let you.」
Camus: 「Sand Needle.」
Hiiro: (As I thought, he’s an earth, no, a sand user...)
*Bashin Bashin Bashiiiin!* (6)
Camus: 「Nn...hard.」
Camus: 「Then how about...this.」
Camus: 「......Sand Wave.」
As the waves of sand came pouring down before his eyes, Hiiro turned towards the tsunami and started running towards it.
Camus watched on behind the wave as he was convinced that it would inflict a large amount of damage. However, at this time, a hole in the shape of a circle burst out of the central portion of the sand wave. Hiiro jumped out of said hole.
As Camus had not expected Hiiro to avoid the wave of sand, much less penetrate it, he was stunned.
As he said thus, the defensive wall that enveloped Hiiro began to disappear. As he had counted to a minute after the activation time, even though it disappeared, Hiiro was unperturbed. Rather, Hiiro used the time limit to repel his opponents attack while approaching him, causing Camus to grow agitated.
While he poised his 『Thorn Sword - Piercer』, Hiiro rushed forward, unleashing a thrust. As the defensive wall had disappeared, Hiiro was now capable of attacking.
Hiiro launched an attack that seemed as if it would penetrate Camus’ lowered guard. However, at that time-
Hiiro’s katana was completely unable to penetrate it’s designated target. What it had pierced through was simply air.
In that instance, sand began to dance in midair with a *parapara*(8). As it appeared in Hiiro’s line of sight, he looked up, thinking that his opponent had jumped up in the air. However, his eyes saw no-one.
As he felt a chill run down his spine, Hiiro detected a presence behind him.
This time, it was Hiiro who was caught completely off guard.
Immediately activating the previously installed word, 「Speed」 『速』 and escaped from his current location. As he jumped without concern for his posture, Hiiro tumbled to the ground, rolling around with a *gorogoro*(9).
However, as he had avoided Camus’ sword strike from behind, Hiiro deemed it to be a satisfactory result.
As Hiiro’s speed became equivalent to his own, Camus was startled. Not understanding how his speed had suddenly increased, Camus was wary as to not approach Hiiro carelessly.
Hiiro: (Fuu, that was pretty dangerous just now, huh. However, that bastard...)
Hiiro: 「Seems that you’ve got a pretty sharp brain, Nitouryuu(10).」
Camus: 「If I can use sand…...I am strong.」
Hiiro: (Guess it’s about time for me to start, huh......)
Hiiro: (That’s number 2 ......next is......)
Camus: 「...?」
Hiiro: 「Take this!」
Camus: (This is......what he used on Jin-u?)
Seeing this, Hiiro clicked his tongue audibly enough for Camus to hear as he descended onto the ground.
Following this, Camus sheathed his katana as he narrowed his eyes.
Camus placed his right hand on the ground.
Following this, the sand moved, enveloping Camus’ right hand. Camus was now wearing a gauntlet made of extremely hardened sand. As it was only his right hand that had become armed, it was swollen several times, to the point that it looked uncomfortable. It was as if the hand belonged to a golem or giant.
Spikes of sand started flying towards Hiiro. Hiiro immediately jumped to the side. However, Camus suddenly headed to towards him in that direction. It seems that Hiiro had moved accordingly to Camus’ speculations.
*Dogon-!*(13)
Hiiro was sent splendidly flying by the fist armed with sand. He received an impact that seemed to instantly blow his consciousness away. Bright red blood spewed out of his mouth. As if he were a stone skipping on water, Hiiro bounced up and down before hitting a big sand pile.
Hiiro: 「Gaha-!」
Sivan: 「Hoh hoh hoh(14). It looks like the match’s been decided.」
Shamoe: 「Feeeee~-!(15) Hiiro-samaa(16)!」
Silva: 「Ojou-sama(17).」
Liliyn: 「Aah, that bastard’s trying to do something.」
Sivan: 「Nn? Did you say something?」
Liliyn: 「Aah, the fun part’s coming up so look carefully.」
Sivan: 「......ha? The match is already-」
Liliyn: 「You’ve aged, Sivan. His fighting spirit has yet to waver. Rather...」
As the mound of sand vigorously burst apart, Hiiro appeared with ragged breathing, his face distorted in pain.
After heaving a large sigh, Liliyn stared at Hiiro, who had re-established his breathing.
Liliyn: (Now, show it to me. Show me what you were trying to do just then.)