Kazuki locked eyes with the woman as their swords shattered, his blue-greens staring into hers as time seemed to freeze. Both shards of ice and earth flung between the two from the blow, and this caused the grin to be less forced. There was a side of him he didn't know he had, either because he was just discovering it or perhaps the lacrima had generated it subliminally. Most likely the latter, this feeling of primal pride that welled in his stomach. Perhaps it wasn't even pride, but whatever it was it relished in this battle, spar or no, against someone of the same classification of magic.
Whatever it was, he watched her land as he himself did the same, though the counter attack was certainly not expected.
'Shit, she's fast!' This thought occurred only after she had struck him, the force of the blow sending him skidding back a few meters, hide boots digging into the earth. This eventually led to him stopping, though it was his term to take a knee this time. While down, collecting himself, he had enough mind--or perhaps instinct--to slap his boots slightly, causing shards of earth to rocket from the bottom of his boots. These would function as cleets, aiding him in being knocked back again should she land another blow.
Her words reached his ears and that grin widened to a feral smile. A small voice inside of him, faint at first, reached him as clear as her own words.
'Yasssss....' This was it! This was a
fight! He gave a breathy chuckle as he stood, those pupils having shifted to near slits for the second time today. This was the challenge, the thrill he didn't even knew he craved. If he were thinking straight, he would have been put off, but he was simply have too much fun to over analyze the why. Kazuki reached up and wiped his own chin, no blood having been drawn as she had struck his stomach, but she had certainly caused a heavy cough to cause a bit of spittle. Without thinking he grabbed the front of his shirt with two fingers, flapping it as one would if they were hot. Some of the ice crystals from her previous attack shook loose and he spoke.
"Just one, eh? We'll see about that..."His feet spread shoulder with apart, those same orbs--perhaps hundreds of the tiny buggers--floated from the earth, gathering into him as if they were answering a call. As if their champion was calling for their aid. She said she could take a hit? He certainly hoped so.
"Dragon Slayer." Said simply, his head bowed as blonde locks cascaded forward. His fists balled and raised, tightening to the point that every knuckle had turned bone white. Using the boosted strength of his muscles, Kazuki slammed another foot down into the ground, yet another pillar rocketing him into the sky. Simultaneously his hands went above his head as he looked down at her with wild eyes and a feral smile. Surely she was feeling this too, this surge of...whatever this was. While it likely wasn't new to her, it clearly was to the novice Slayer, and he was content to ride the high while it lasted.
Those hundreds of orbs he had absorbed were not ejected from him, forming solid rock above his hands. The rock, now qualifying well into the boulder-sized range, continued to seem as if chunks of rock were just being manifested onto it, as if tendrils of golden earth were reaching out and pulling these chunks from seemingly thin air--as if it were simply tacking on pieces of armor.
"Powerful enough to slay a Dragon? I dunno...YOU TELL ME!" And then he hurled the large boulder down with all the strength his earth infused muscles could muster. Whether it struck true or not, whatever it impacted resulted in an explosion of sand and dust, but more importantly shards of earth meant to pierce flesh. Kazuki would descend, seeming to have hung in the air long enough to launch what he would certainly call his most devastating attack. He wasn't winded, but it was obvious such a move had used a decent chunk of his magic power. Sweat beaded his brow, even in the frosty morning air.
- Spells Maintained:
Name: Earth Dragon's Grit
Rank: D
Mana Cost: 25
Requirements: Earth Dragon Slayer
Type: Self Buff - Strength
Element: Earth
Range: N/A
Cooldown: 1 Post
Duration: Sustain
Effect: The caster balls his fists and let's out a shout. This infuses his muscles with the strength of the earth, granting him a D Rank strength buff.
Name: Earth Dragon's Grip
Rank: D
Mana Cost: 25
Requirements: Earth Dragon Slayer
Type: Supplementary
Element: Earth
Range: N/A
Cooldown: 1 Post
Duration: Sustain
Effect: The caster slaps his boots, causing shards of earth to erupt from his feet allowing him to walk on any surface made out of geological matter (Rock, sand, etc) regardless of orientation.
- Spells Used:
Name: Secret Art: Amber Orchid - Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw
Rank: B
Mana Cost: 100
Requirements: Earth Dragon Slayer Magic
Type: Offensive
Element: Earth
Range: 15 Meters
Cooldown: 3 Posts
Duration: Instant
Effect: The caster lifts his hands above his head, creating a boulder that he then launches at his opponent. The boulder is 3mx3m. The boulder explodes on contact dealing B Rank piercing damage.
Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 155/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750