The position of the sun seemed to suggest that it was early afternoon when Houren slunk into the eating establishment, an expression look on his face that implied lethargy. The Fire Dragon Slayer stifled a slight yawn as he walked over to the counter to put in an order; boneless chicken strips, a generous serving of coleslaw and a carbonated canned drink. The young man behind the counter, who looked equally tired, took down the mage's order before directing him towards a seat near the front of the establishment. Indicating his wish to takeout his meal instead of eating in, Houren went over to sit, subconsciously choosing the bench that was already occupied but he left a single stool between him and the original occupant, who just so happened to be another member of Fairy Tail, although Houren wasn't to now that given the fact that her guild emblem was in a relatively well guarded area.

It was not really characteristic of Houren to initiate conversation, but since he feared that he would otherwise fall asleep, he decided to address the other patron as politely as he could. "It's a good day for a meal outdoors, isn't it?" he asked, without deflecting his gaze from the window that separated them from the charming scene outside. There was a nice little grassy area outside the confines of Era Town where he was planning on going after his food was ready. It was his intention to consume lunch there, before drifting off to sleep for a well deserved post-meal nap.

Era was trashed to say the least. Evidence of skirmishes and battles were everywhere, guard was heightened, and people were skittish. With all that being said, despite their obvious paranoia, no one had heard of Cell quite yet. There had been reports of him of course, rumors spreading around. That said, no one who saw him lived to spread the tale other than three who had been too injured to do so. His travels were thus uninterrupted, save the cautious or curious gazes cast upon him.

It was past midday, and Cell was wanting to grab some food. As another would put it, he had a rumbling tummy to please. To do so in this town of scattered people and skittish town folk, he'd be unable to simply do his normal thing of eating on the move. Well, he could, but it wouldn't be efficient. What was a perfect man if not efficient?

He'd instead choose to borrow a strategy he'd previously used in Hargeon. Stepping inside the diner, the patron at the counter looked at him. They looked bored, curious, and overall ready to go home. There were two others talking on a bench, but he paid them no mind. "What can I get for you?" Cell smiled at this point. The fun was about to begin.

"Oh you look busy, I'll just help myself!" With that said, his tail shot around and impaled her through her stomach. It took only moments for her to be completely drained into nothingness, any onlookers likely standing by shocked. Ignoring the two on the bench, he'd leap over the counter and walk into the kitchen. "You know as much as I've eaten I've never actually been in a kitchen. I guess it's about time." And with that said, Cell began to use his tail to consume more patrons while the two still sat on the bench, or at least were still on the other side of the counter.

The Fairy Tail mage of bronzed visage was about to say something, perhaps a short but clever quip about how his permanent residence was also Magnolia, just like her, but unfortunately, her words simply went through one ear and out the other once Houren noticed the new arrival. He walked upright, and looked somewhat humanoid, but it was definitely no person, no regular person anyways; with a long and thick tail, and a nose that wasn't even properly formed, it was no wonder that this reptilian looking creature managed to catch the attention of onlookers, Houren in particular. It would likely haunt him in his dreams later on in life, but the young man was unable to react fast enough to save the life of Cell's first victim, and watched with curious eyes as the creature leaped over the counter and began to make his way into the kitchen.

As though he had been suddenly snapped back into reality, the Fire Dragon Slayer turned to Kazumi and whispered something to her. "Please tell me you saw that. In any case, trust me," he left his seat and walked closer to the counter, deciding that there was no point in hesitating any longer. The creature, whoever he was, was clearly dangerous and it was a wonder why he had not decided to attack them first. Judging by the sheer speed in which he was able to absorb people, Houren estimated that he was probably more or less done with the entire kitchen staff by now. If he waited any longer, he'd risk letting the creature escape through the backdoor, and without waiting for Kazumi's consent, shot a beam of fire, from his mouth, through the kitchen door.

980/1080:

Cell had gone through the door into the kitchen, beginning to indulge upon the kitchen staff. That didn't happen immediately, though. The kitchen was much more clustered than any kitchen should ever be allowed to get. He had consumed a single person before he heard the sound of roaring behind him. Whether that sound came from a person or a thing, he barely had time to glance over his shoulder before a massive fiery explosion took place just behind him, having hit one of the kitchen staff people who attempted to sneak out.

The explosion would destroy the D rank crystal spells and kill the remaining kitchen staff, as well as send Cell flying forward. If they listened, they could hear the faint "Are you kidding me!?" yelled from inside the kitchen. The door had been blasted off as well as damaging the entirety of the walls towards Houren and Kazumi.

The two fairy tail mages would be able to see inside now as the blast and smoke cleared, and the destruction was quite impressive. Three torched bodies lay scattered through the kitchen, as well as small flames here and there. In the middle of the room, now that the explosion had cleared, they'd see the green man standing and glaring at them. His back was smoking, his face held a sneer, and his eyes would be drilling into them.

"That... Was unexpected." His voice would coo from his mouth dripping with enough malice that one could swear it was venomous. He saw that the walls, which were made out of a pretty weak material, had all but been blasted away. Holes were still crumbling into them from the force of the explosion past. He was about six meters from them, but he'd not let that distance last long. He was on his guard now, and nothing would be getting past him.

"Well, if it's any consolation for what is about to happen- That hurt like hell." Raising his arm and fist so that it was beside his head, Cell's index finger would be raised. On the index finger, a massive orb would be formed. No sooner had it formed did Cell flick his index finger forward, causing this massive ball of energy to plow forward at the two of them.

Mana: 1300/1400:

His companion's spell supplemented his own as their combined efforts poured into the dining establishment's kitchen, all with the intention of knocking the humanoid lizard creature flat on his backside. There was no hesitation in his step, nor did he sense any indecision on Kazumi's part, yet that could have been because she had not yet considered the possible repercussions of their actions; that their beam would find its mark before Cell could finish consuming the rest of the kitchen staff, and in case of that event, Houren could easily be labeled as murderer, and her as his possibly unknowing accomplice. Still, in the end, it was the results that mattered, and the Fairy Tail mage would gladly sacrifice even his own life to see this potential threat obliterated right here and now, rather than being given the chance to bloom and wreak even more havoc on the town.

Houren Vanadis had seen firsthand just how terrifying this guy could be, having completely sucked up that receptionist lady in a matter of seconds with the use of his tail; he made a mental note to not let that thing near him. It was because Houren believed Cell to be a genuine threat that he did not flinch at the sight of the charred bodies, and he did not bother to check on Kazumi's reaction to this revelation. Her earlier casting proved to him that she was a mage, and right now, after what had happened just a few nights prior with Thesus' escape and all that, Houren didn't believe that there was a single mage in Era right now that couldn't hold his or her own in a situation such as this.

The Fairy Tail mage grit his teeth in pure irritation when it became apparent that Cell had sustained less than fatal wounds from their combined attack. However, he did not let down his guard as Cell raised up his index finger, something that Houren believed to be a cue for an attack. "Run!" his warning was sharp and loud, and by the time it had left his mouth, Houren had already dashed six meters to his left, a distance that should have seen him evade Cell's attack. Immediately, Houren raised his hand and shot a single bullet of fire at Cell, a cautionary move to see for himself just how durable this creature was.

955/1080:

The two had very different ideas in how to act. The fire mage dashed directly to the side, putting himself behind the crumbling wall in which separated the kitchen from the wait area. The crystal mage, however, dashed forward and into the kitchen, putting her in the same area as Cell. Whether or not it had been her intention, it had seemed that she would be moving up close and personal with him. As she put herself around the blast that Cell had made, he was already moving to intercept her.

Dashing inwards at his top speed, he'd have begun moving right as she began throwing the kunai. As her arm completed its throw, Cell was practically upon her. The spell dug into his shoulder, though it was weak enough to cause only very minor damage. As it stuck into that left side, Cell's right fist would be already being brought around. He was not going for a punch, but rather clothes lining her in the center of her body so that she'd have no way to dodge, especially not mid-dash.

Once connected, the blow would send her into the near by wall. Connection with the wall would lead to a follow up knee by Cell, also aimed for the center of her body. That was one fairy down, and unbeknownst to Cell his dash had put him out of the way of the fire mages attack as well. Turning as his tail penetrated the girls leg, Cell stood tall with his fists clenched to his sides. "You know, I'll be honest, killing everyone in here was kind of a dick move. I mean sure, I was going to drink them. At least that would have given them purpose. You just made them into coal."

Mana: 1400/1400:

Much to Houren's surprise, it didn't seem like his spell would connect to Cell, not that it would have done much damage anyways. Kazumi's spell looked to have hit its mark so he at least had to be grateful for that. The distance between him and his fellow guildmate had increased to roughly six meters. Now Cell had to choose which one of them he preferred to attack and it seemed like his choice would be Kazumi. The speed of Cell was impressive, much faster than Houren could react at this time, so he could simply hope that Kazumi had it in her to avoid the attack manage to hurt their opponent.

Spoiler:

Cell's attack connected, folding her body over his arm as if it were made of that single joint. As her body conformed in the direction of the force, it would propel outwards and into the nearby wall. The attack was certainly enough to finish her outright, but just to make sure Cell immediately followed up by stabbing her through the stomach with his tail, effectively pinning her against the wall. His tail itself didn't have enough leverage to keep her off the ground, so instead it merely made her drag down rather than outright fall. During that, he began to drain her of mana.

Simultaneously with the stabbing of his tail, Cell turned his face back to where the fire gun had shot through the wall. At this angle, the half destroyed wall made it so that neither Houren nor Cell could see each other. A grin formed upon Cell's face. "Where'd that gusto you had just a few moments ago go?" His voice held its usual mocking tone. "I'm over here tail deep in your girlfriend and you're just hiding behind a wall? Is this what you're into?"

"Jeez, if that's the case than I guess you could argue we both won huh? Good effort, sport." At this point he was egging his opponent on, wanting to take the fight beyond physical capabilities and to emotional and mental fortitude as well. Would Houren play ball?

Mana: 1400/1400:

The crude echos of Cell's scorn streamed in through one ear and out the other, with the Fairy Tail mage taking only the briefest of moments to process what was being said to him; given the tone used, it was obvious to him, of course, that he was being insulted. Despite that though, he held his ground, knowing full well that to engage an enemy he could not even see right now would mean death, especially since he was already aware at this point in time that he could not possibly compete with Cell in terms of strength or speed. The fight was not nearly as one sided as this green scaled creature seemed to think though, and Houren believed that if he remained tenacious, an opportunity would soon present itself to him.

But he would need to be careful as to not fall for Cell's provocation. What was being done to Kazumi behind the ruins was surely too horrific to imagine, but it would all be pointless if Houren ended up giving up his own life to try and save her, wouldn't it? His first attempt at Cell had already resulted in lost lives, and their deaths would surely be in vain if Houren didn't manage to knock Cell down a peg or two at least. Houren made an X shape with his arms, as he decided to return Cell's contemptuous mockery with some persiflage of his own.

"What are you talking about? Is that your way of pleading for a draw? The fight isn't over yet, so why don't you come and get me?" he made sure he was loud enough for Cell to hear, and was prepared for anything the creature would throw at him next.

Houren was a rather smart man, it had seemed. His preemptive strike had caused damage to Cell, more than he had been anticipating on receiving ever again in this backwater town. Moreover, unbeknownst to the green man, Houren had figured out exactly what it was that had been going on. Cell wanted to bait the man into doing what he wanted, and to do so he cooed his insults in a way that would catch the mans attention. Houren had figured it out and planned to avoid it.

Instead, he fell into it.

Cell had no vision of the man, and vice versa. By speaking to Houren, he'd reveal exactly where he was behind that wall. This, of course, worked in reverse. Once the man began to respond, a savage grin appeared on Cell's face. Now he knew where the man was. Normally, the voice would echo off the walls and bounce through the entirety of the restaurant, causing a difficulty in pinpointing the voice. With so many holes in the wall, though, the sound came through rather clearly. He simply had to look to the center.

Raising a hand up swiftly as the man was midway through his talks, Cell pointed an index finger and middle finger towards the center of the source of noise, firing a beam from his fingers. The timing would not stop Houren from reacting, but the man would not be seeing the beam until it passed through the wall. The beam itself was being aimed around Houren's stomach, somewhere within the center of it. Wherever it hit, it would deal serious damage.

1300/1400:

The bio-android's next move was one that Houren almost hadn't expected, but fortunately the time taken for the beam to completely break through the wall alerted Houren as to Cell's intentions, and gave him some time to react to the situation. Still, it was worth noting that the crumbling wall was made of less than quality material, and at best, the Fairy Tail mage could only prevent the beam from hitting his vitals; instead, Cell's attack pierced straight through his thigh, forcing a barely audible wince from the Fire Dragon Slayer as he dropped to one knee, cursing his synthetic opponent in a less than polite way.

Houren had been in battles dominated by blood lust before though, and had sustained injuries even greater than this one. The pain in his thigh was sharp, but it was nothing that he couldn't simply endure until the fight ended. Besides, he knew that the pain he would have to suffer through if he lost would be much, much greater than this, and it wasn't as though he could expect mercy from a creature that seemed to consume humans in their whole on a simple whim. "He got me good, that guy..." it was funny, in a way, at that moment, his tone almost suggested as though he was impressed by Cell's combat innovation.

The hole that the beam had created was still in the wall, which gave Houren a good idea of where Cell was standing, assuming that he hadn't moved yet. The wall was roughly 6 meters away, and was not so large in size that Cell would be able to go around it without the keen senses of a Dragon Slayer picking it up. Anticipating the next move, Houren allowed both arms to drop to his side, as the tips of his fingers began to burn hot with rage.

As the beam passed through the wall, it was able to connect with Houren's leg. While he wasn't sure himself as to where the opponent had been hurt, the pompous attitude of Cell's had not gone anywhere. The mans voice barely audible through the multitude of holes in the wall as he spoke out loud to himself, Cell decided that he would be a fun game now. The wall was barely hanging on, and while Cell certainly could go through to the other side, it was like he was playing an arcade game now.

Opening his hand wide, exposing his palm, Cell brought it back as if he were about to palm strike forward. "Hey kid, catch!" With that, he'd thrust his arm forward. The hole itself did not reveal where Houren was, and it was very near the edge of the building. That eliminated the possibility of Houren having jumped to Cell's right, since he'd have hit the wall and thus been visible still through the wall. The lobby itself also wasn't wide enough to assume he'd gone too far back, so instead Cell had slammed his palm forward about a meter to the left of where the original hole was.

Regardless of whether or not it hit Houren, this blast would destroy what was left of the wall, tearing off sections that the attack didn't hit simply due to the force behind the technique. If Houren was still standing afterwards, he'd be unable to hide behind it anymore.

Mana: 1200/1400:

This bastard didn't want to come out of hiding yet, it seemed like. In spite of all his talk, Cell didn't seem even remotely interesting in coming out from behind the wall and engaging Houren mano-a-mano. From an objective point of view, making full use of his vantage point was probably the best move Cell could have made, but still, for a guy who liked to talk as though he was the best thing since sliced bread, frankly, Houren was disappointed by the creature's apparent cowardice. The Fairy Tail mage had already begun to regain his footing by the time Cell's distinct voice unleashed another taunt, but rather than seeing it as simple derision, Houren took it as a warning as he instinctively threw his body to the left in a makeshift dash; this helped him narrowly avoid Cell's wind attack, and sent him further from the establishment's wall which he would have banged into had he made the split decision to throw himself to the right.

Houren knew that he might have been a goner had he allowed that spell to touch him, as evidenced by the sheer destruction that it did to objects that it hadn't even had any direct contact with. For example, the half destroyed wall that had been concealing Cell from Houren's line of sight was finally gone, the debris having fallen in such a way that they actually would have hindered Cell more than the Fairy Tail magus. The creature, who seemed to be able to shoot attacks out as though he had an infinite supply of magical energy, was once again in Houren's cross hairs. Unfortunately, the Fire Dragon Slayer didn't have the luxury of shooting anything other than a sure shot, and as such, he had been unwilling to expend even the most minuscule of magical power.

Now that Cell was in his sights again though, Houren simply slammed both his hands together, creating a large blast of fire that was headed straight for the creature. It was a move brainstormed from calculation and instinct, and he had been preparing the attack since Cell's yin yang beam, hence the burning of his fingers, and in theory, should have given the green creature less than ample time to react. Still, the Fairy Tail mage knew that when it came to surprises, Cell absolutely excelled, but there was little doubt in Houren's mind that his attack would find its mark somewhere.

855/1080:

The man had made a mistake, likely due to the sudden nature of the attack and everything involved thus far. It was a lot to take in, after all. A random green guy showing up, drinking people, accidentally killing a kitchen of people and knowing your ally was taken out. How could someone stay on top of all this, maintaining their mental map of their surroundings, while also taking severe damage to their own body? It was damn near impossible for a warrior who was not properly seasoned.

Houren had dashed to his left, which was Cell's right. This meant that he went full speed into the wall, bashing his face into it, dealing his speed's rank as damage before he took the mighty wind blast from Cell. Even if he had dashed in the proper direction, due to Cell adjusting his aim for the blast, the attack would have still hit Houren with its brunt force. Either way, it was the edge of the blast that was hitting Houren- But still enough to fully damage him.

With that damage done, the fight would not yet be finished. Sure, that was a large amount of damage done, but there had been no knockout blows. The fight would continue, but Houren would be in pain. His leg especially, which had an open wound that would have taken a severe amount of damage.

"This can all end you know, buddy. All I want is for you to come inside of me. Not a bad deal, huh?"

In an uncharacteristic moment of negligence, the Fairy Tail mage had moved in the wrong direction, throwing his back against the wall, causing him tolerable pain. Still, the tips of his fingers burned hot, and now he had the perfect view of the gust that was headed straight for him, and inherently, he slammed his palms together, generating his own fire spell to cancel out Cell's. His back would almost certainly be bruised due to the sudden impact against the wall, but he didn't think too much about that; once he returned to Magnolia, a dip in the medicinal hot springs would cure him right up, and there were plenty of pretty girls in his guild to rub Zam-Buk on him.

But first, he needed to concentrate on getting back to Fairy Tail alive. The wound on his thigh continued to trouble him, but the pain was not so great that Houren could not endure it. If he had the time, he would almost certainly have cauterized it, but would have risked being a sitting duck for Cell. "Don't you have any fire spells? You're the kind of guy that likes to beat people at their own game, right?" Houren responded to Cell's taunt with one of his own, raising his right arm as he did so and firing a bullet of fire in Cell's direction, the distance between them having been five meters. He had hoped to take advantage of Cell being surprised by the clash between wind and fire, and hitting him with a spell that would have barely have been visible to him.

830/1080:

Revision:

Since it was brought to my attention that one of Mr. Hourens leg was severely injured. This would mean that when he crashed into the wall, combined with the spell from Cell -- Mr. Houren would be left off-balance, incapable of establishing eye-of-sight with Cell or continue the concentration required to fire off a spell and therefor unable to fire of the spell.

What also was brought up was that the wall wasn't concrete, as I thought it was, but instead of was a flimsy wall which already had received damage. Since Mr. Houren was facing the hole of the wall when he ran into it(meaning his nose didn't hit the wall, but the side of his face did), the damage he received from dashing into it would be D rank, since he moved at 6 meters per second. Even though the wall shielded him from most of the damage, he still receives D rank damage. This adds up to C ranked damage being inflicted to Mr. Houren, which luckily to him isn't concentrated in any specific place on his body. His leg is injured severely by a previous hit, and he is now off-balanced -- and at Cells mercy unless he pulls off a miraculous stunt.

The thread continues at the point of which Mr. Houren is off-balance, and probable close to falling on his side as a result of being hit.

The fight will continue in 24 hours after this post, giving Mr. Houren the time to inquire Maarschalk about this hit call.

As Houren collided with the wall, the wall would have exploded. The damage would all be thrown towards the humans side, the wind carrying it along as whatever remaining vestige of the wall was the rubble on the ground. As the man fell backwards, Cell's hand that had send forth the wind blast had raised up, forming within it a javelin of lightning. As soon as it formed, the green being pegged it forward. "And a present!"

This mage was damaged. The hole in his leg had been one thing, constantly draining blood, but with him being dazed and bruised from the wall incident there remained a plethora of factors. The lightning bolt was thrown below his chest ever so slightly, aiming to intercept the fall rather than to hit him where he was. If he had been able to turn his head and see where Cell had been, there was perhaps a way to counter it. Cell was done just waiting though, it was time for action.

Concentrating electricity into his right hand, Cell began charging forward behind his lightning bolt. His back still ached, and he had no reason to stand back anymore. It had been amusing, bombarding the man from a distance. Now it was time to end it though. The lightning bolt was traveling faster towards the stumbling or falling man than Cell would be starting initially, having formed from the same right hand that his mana was now concentrated. All he had to do was reach him though, and this fight would be over. His charge left him not exposed, as his right arm was poised to intercept any last second attacks. Still, the man was injured. Escape was nigh impossible. All that was left to do was to put this stray dog down.

Mana: 1000/1400:

The Fairy Tail magus did not stumble in the slightest, deciding in less than a heartbeat that he would rather fall onto his backside than give this green man the satisfaction of seeing him struggle to maintain a proper posture. This small act of defiance actually seemed to work in the Dragon Slayer's favor, as it meant that he could avoid Cell's lightning bolt attack. This was made easier, given the amount of time needed for the bio-android to concentrate his magical energy into his palm, and also the fact that he needed to throw the bolt as though he were representing his country in the fuckboy Olympics. The attack did not so much as graze a hair on Houren's head, and the next thing he knew, Cell was charging at him.

Charge was not necessarily synonymous with dash though, and it took time for Cell to reach the great speeds needed for him to reach Houren, who was still sitting flat on his ass a rough nine or so meters away. The Fairy Tail mage could use Cell's insistence on making this a melee fight to his own advantage; after all, it would only take one good move to shift the momentum back to his side, and the seeds of his counterattack had been sown a while ago. His hands still burnt hot, and clapping them together was enough for him to send a large flame in Cell's direction; an explosive attack that would not necessarily send him flying back but would certainly stop him in his tracks, and overwhelm him.

His next move was immediate, opening his mouth to inhale as he forced himself up, believing that his Brilliant Flames would be able to hurt Cell while simultaneously buying him sufficient time to regain his lost footing. He began to run towards Cell, as though to meet him halfway. Before he had entered the range of Cell's long reach though, Houren had already exhaled, releasing another large stream of flames towards Cell, but did not stop his charge. The human magus clenched both fists, feeling a rush of power rush through his inner being as he welted Cell in the face with his fist, not stopping there as he then went to strike the chest, all with the intention of winding him.

Houren continued his assault with a flurry of punches to the throat, chest and face, reluctant to kick as he did not want to aggravate his injury. After a baker's dozen or so strikes, Houren hooked Cell in the jaw with his right hand, a punch that was intended to send him back a few meters. Immediately, Houren would arch his shoulder, as though he were playing softball, before throwing his final attack that was intended to end Cell. Given the fact that they were not very far apart from each other, Houren knew that he would get caught in the subsequent blast. That was fine though, immunity to flames came in handy at times like these.

505/1080:

OOC:: Houren's strength after activating the buff is 28 + 5 = 33, approx. B-rank damage.

Calling Hits:

The lightning bolt collided with Houren's chest, a concentrated piercing attack that would further damaged the battered and bruised man. The attack would pierce through skin and into muscle alike, sending jolts through the mans body and likely making his fall all the more unpleasant. The attack would stun most, and the fact that this was to stack onto previously accumulated damage simply added to its effect. As the man hit the ground, the shocks dancing through his body, Cell's speed had reached near its full capacity.

Only moments behind it, the man's arm likely unable to move properly due to the sudden and tearing pain, Cell was on top of him. Turning his entire body into it, he'd drop to a knee and slam his fist, encased in lightning, down onto Houren's stomach. The damage would be immediate, his fist likely damaging the lower ribs as well as all organs in the area. Internal bleeding, coughing up blood, and fractured bones could all be expected. With that done, the fight would likely be over.

Stabbing his tail around as he stood, one fluid motion, the spike would stab into the mans exposed side, slightly below where his lightning bolt had pierced. Immediately, the man would begin to be drained of his mana. With this power flowing into Cell, he felt as though this meal was special. This man, whoever he was, had stood out in his own way. He was strong, valiant, and put up a good fight. His only shortcoming was how far from perfect he was, while Cell was oh so close.

And now, even closer still.

Mana: 1100/1400:

Hit Call:

The Fairy Tail magus did not stumble in the slightest, deciding in less than a heartbeat that he would rather fall onto his backside than give this green man the satisfaction of seeing him struggle to maintain a proper posture. This small act of defiance actually seemed to work in the Dragon Slayer's favor, as it meant that he could avoid Cell's lightning bolt attack. This was made easier, given the amount of time needed for the bio-android to concentrate his magical energy into his palm, and also the fact that he needed to throw the bolt as though he were representing his country in the fuckboy Olympics. The attack did not so much as graze a hair on Houren's head, and the next thing he knew, Cell was charging at him.

Charge was not necessarily synonymous with dash though, and it took time for Cell to reach the great speeds needed for him to reach Houren, who was still sitting flat on his ass a rough nine or so meters away. The Fairy Tail mage could use Cell's insistence on making this a melee fight to his own advantage; after all, it would only take one good move to shift the momentum back to his side, and the seeds of his counterattack had been sown a while ago. His hands still burnt hot, and clapping them together was enough for him to send a large flame in Cell's direction; an explosive attack that would not necessarily send him flying back but would certainly stop him in his tracks, and overwhelm him.

His next move was immediate, opening his mouth to inhale as he forced himself up, believing that his Brilliant Flames would be able to hurt Cell while simultaneously buying him sufficient time to regain his lost footing. He began to run towards Cell, as though to meet him halfway. Before he had entered the range of Cell's long reach though, Houren had already exhaled, releasing another large stream of flames towards Cell, but did not stop his charge. The human magus clenched both fists, feeling a rush of power rush through his inner being as he welted Cell in the face with his fist, not stopping there as he then went to strike the chest, all with the intention of winding him.

Houren continued his assault with a flurry of punches to the throat, chest and face, reluctant to kick as he did not want to aggravate his injury. After a baker's dozen or so strikes, Houren hooked Cell in the jaw with his right hand, a punch that was intended to send him back a few meters. Immediately, Houren would arch his shoulder, as though he were playing softball, before throwing his final attack that was intended to end Cell. Given the fact that they were not very far apart from each other, Houren knew that he would get caught in the subsequent blast. That was fine though, immunity to flames came in handy at times like these.

505/1080: