A/N: Second chapter of the day. Am I cool or what, huh, huh. All jokes aside I'm enjoying writing these battles. What do you think. For those curious Dante's combat style is taken from Japan's Jujutsu martial arts:)
Pwease send me powerstones and leave reviews and stuff on my novel 🥺. It makes me happy!
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Back on the streets, an elegant sword fight unfolds between Yamato and Sano. Their blades clash and spark, steel scraping against steel in a dance of precision and power. Each movement is sharp and deliberate, neither holding back on each other, neither giving an inch.
Sano swings low, forcing Yamato to leap back, the blade narrowly missing his waist. Yamato counters instantly, slashing horizontally, but Sano bends his knees and tilts his upper body, the tip of the sword grazing his cheek. Blood drips down, yet Sano only smiles.
They circle each other. Sano lunges, his blade twisting mid-air for a surprise feint. Yamato catches the motion with a parry, but Sano's footwork is quick, he spins, landing a shallow cut on Yamato's side. Yamato grits his teeth, countering with a downward strike that bites deep into Sano's shoulder.
The clash ends with both men sliding back, leaving deep gashes on each other's bodies. Blood stains the cobblestone beneath them. Both pant heavily, eyes locked, neither showing weakness.
Sano wipes his mouth with his thumb and exhales. "You're unfair, man," he says between breaths. "You're passively healing, aren't you?"
Yamato straightens, still breathing hard. "It's not like I choose for it to happen," he says flatly. "It just happens."
Sano chuckles bitterly. "How are we normal guys supposed to beat you?" He sheathes his sword halfway, as if talking to himself. "When I started adventuring, I was so excited. Back home, I was the best swordsman in town. But when I joined the Guild, I realized how insignificant I was. I had barely any mana, couldn't use any fancy slashes or mana-based techniques. So I stuck with Domiré. He at least had a plan for us. Just chill and be guards for him and get paid. Quite easy work if you ask me."
He looks up, his gaze steady. "So when I look at you, I get jealous. So much potential in one man. So much mana in one man. Why is God so unfair?"
Yamato tilts his head slightly. "I'm sorry," he replies. "But that really has nothing to do with me."
Sano smirks. "You're right. Where were we again?"
Without another word, both men rush forward. Their blades collide again, this time both unleashing named attacks Yamato shouts Crescent Moon and Sano shouts Iron Fang and the bladest meet perfectly in the middle. The explosion of pressure and energy cancels them both out, sending dust flying across the street.
When the haze clears, they're standing apart once more, breathing heavily but grinning like old rivals.
Sano raises his blade slightly and says, "A good attack. You really do have a bright future."
Yamato scoffs, lowering his sword. "When will you stop complimenting me? It's creepy."
Sano laughs. "It's just interesting finding someone like you. You'd be perfect as a two-sword swordsman."
Yamato raises an eyebrow. "Two swords?"
Sano nods. "Yeah. It gives you more versatility and more attack potential."
Yamato exhales. "You really are weird, aren't you?"
Sano grins. "Takes one to know one."
---
Burly and Dante stand across from each other, the air tense between them.
Burly smirks. "Let me show you something cool, Dante."
He spreads his stance and lowers his head slightly, muttering a short chant under his breath.
"Flame of the restless ember, heed my call, ignite and devour!"
A ring of sparks ignites around his feet. In an instant, a mid-level fire spell bursts forward, a swirling column of flame surging straight toward Dante.
Caught completely off guard, Dante barely manages to raise his arms before the fire hits. The blast burns across his shoulder and chest, singeing his clothes and searing his skin. He staggers back three steps, eyes wide in disbelief.
"What… was that?"
Burly grins, resting his baton against his shoulder. "That, Dante, was a mid-level fire spell. It's done by manipulating the mana within yourself. This is what I was talking about before."
Dante's eyes flicker with curiosity as he steadies his breathing. "I'll admit, that does look cool. But you won't be able to beat me with just that alone, you know. Plus it takes long to activate with all that mumbling you were doing."
Burly laughs, a deep, rumbling sound. "That's true. It's highly impractical in a one-on-one. The only reason I landed that on you was because you were caught off guard. Otherwise, it wouldn't have worked."
He rolls his shoulders, the metal baton clinking as he twirls it once. "The only way to make it useful in a real fight is through chantless casting. But I was never able to go past B-Rank because I could never learn that."
He looks at Dante and grins again. "But let me try again."
Burly starts chanting once more, this time forming a wind-based low-tier spell.
"Winds that stir the restless air—"
Before he can finish, Dante moves.
He explodes forward from his side of the arena, closing the distance in a heartbeat. His right leg whips around in a sharp, spinning kick. Burly blocks with his baton, the metal ringing against bone, and slides back half a step from the force.
Dante doesn't stop. He drives a knee into Burly's side, follows with a left elbow, and then drops low for a sweeping leg strike.
Burly jumps back, barely avoiding the sweep, and retaliates with a clean baton strike aimed for Dante's ribs. The impact lands solidly, throwing Dante off balance.
Burly presses forward now, no more holding back. His movements are efficient, practiced, and brutal. Each swing of his baton comes with perfect control, redirecting Dante's counters with ease.
Dante ducks under one blow and goes for a counterpunch, but Burly traps his wrist, twisting it aside before slamming his baton down across Dante's back. The sound echoes through the floor.
"Gah!"
Dante crashes forward but rolls to his feet, panting. His skin is burned, his movements slowing. He raises his guard again, fists trembling.
Burly adjusts his stance. "That all you've got?"
Dante charges again. He ducks under another swing and lands a solid hit to Burly's jaw. Burly grins even as blood trickles down his lip.
He steps in close, headbutts Dante, and then drives his baton upward into his gut. The force sends Dante flying backward, crashing into a pillar. Dust fills the air as Burly advances.
They continue to fight relentlessly through the hall, through shattered doors, and up the staircase to the third floor. Each strike shakes the building. Dante's clothes are torn, his face bloodied, but his eyes remain sharp.
Burly, breathing hard but still composed, spins his baton once and smashes it down, forcing Dante to his knees.
The floor cracks beneath them. Dante coughs, blood dripping from his mouth.
Burly lowers his weapon slightly. "Well then," he says calmly. "What do you think about my strength?"
Dante raises his head, glaring through swollen eyes. "I'll admit… you're strong. But I can't lose here. If I can't beat you and save my friends, then I have no right trying to surpass Eustass."
He clenches his fists, voice filled with raw resolve. "I'm going to break my limits right here and beat you."
Burly pauses for a moment, then smiles. "Show me your resolve, then."