254. Answer

Seeing Izumi attacking Rori blindly, Rori took out her halberd while dodging Izumi's attacks.

*bang* *bang* *bang*

The surrounding trees were blown away by each swing of Izumi's attacks. Rori tried to fend them off, but it was in vain as Izumi was much stronger than she thought after taking his attacks head-on.

Rori flipped in the air while trying to balance herself before landing on the ground. With great difficulty, she landed on the ground as her feet dragged backward due to the blow earlier.

"Tsk."

Rori clicked her tongue. Then she looked at Izumi seriously.

"Looks like this brat needs a lesson. Also…" Rori spun her halberd with one hand. "I should be more serious about him."

Rori jumped forward. While doing so, she seemed to gather her power on her weapon. And before she unleashed it, she tried to get close to Izumi and was ready to smash him at any moment.

Yet, it wasn't easy for Rori.

The moment Rori got closer to Izumi. He immediately swept his tail in Rori's direction. Rori was too late to dodge. As a result, she had no choice but to take it head-on. Rori swung her halberd to the incoming tail.

*Bang*

The clash between Rori's weapon and Izumi's tail creates a shock energy that blows their surroundings. Even a crater was created from the impact. However, Rori was thrown backward and crashed into the boulder.

"ROAR!!"

Somehow, Izumi was roaring in pain after his clash with Rori.

Without wasting an opportunity, Rori got up while wiping the blood at the corner of her lips before she swiftly jumped above him. And then swung her halberd that was imbued with a dark purple aura.

*Bang*

Even though it was lucky enough that the dragon scales covered his body, his spirit or rather his soul couldn't take Rori's attack head-on.

Izumi along with his dragon body slammed to the ground.

"Stupid brat! Wake up!" While saying that, Rori executed an even more powerful soul attack imbued in her weapon.

With her firm foothold, she unleashed a powerful swing.

An extraordinary sight was created as soon as Rori's weapon held by her petite body hit Izumi's dragon form and knocked Izumi away.

After being blasted by Rori, Izumi groaned. But, he didn't immediately get up off the ground as he seemed to gain control of his dragon form.

His body had regressed, and so did his strength.

Slowly, the dragon's body began to change, the four legs turned into limbs, the body turned slim and had a well-formed human body, and his head began to grow hair. Only some of the dragon scales were still there. Faint light blue dragon scales were on his arms and under his eyes to the back of his cheeks. He had a pair of golden reptilian eyes, as well as increasingly sharp fangs.

It wasn't the form from condensing his power through his dragon form. But, it was the dragon force form. Still, it could increase his base strength by 10 times.

Izumi more or less understood how to transform into his current form or his dragon form. The way to transform into both isn't much different.

Fully stimulating his blood can let him transform into a dragon. While stimulating a little bit of his dragon blood and simultaneously controlling his spiritual energy can lead him to transform into his dragon force form.

He realized this just now after regaining his control over his dragon form.

Yet, his soul was hurt a little due to Rori's attack. It was fortunate enough that Rori had full control over her soul manipulation. Due to that, his soul was safe and sound. He just needs a little bit of rest after this. Perhaps a week is enough.

Izumi was relieved that he could re-transform into a human again. Or rather, he understood how to release his dragon force and deactivate it.

"Phew. Thanks, Rori." Izumi let out a deep breath as he looked at Rori.

"If you want to thank me, stay there!"

Rori walked up to Izumi with a grin while carrying her halberd. He could see her outfit was torn apart after their fight just now.

Izumi shuddered.

He sensed some danger coming from Rori's grin.

"If you try to avoid me, I will pull your soul out of your body!"

Izumi who was just about to try to run away put on a bitter smile after hearing what Rori said.

"Rori-chan, can we have a good talk?"

"No, no, no, no!" Rori wiggled her index finger.

"Do you want to beat me up so badly?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes."

"Wait, wait! I'm still naked, at least let me put on my clothes first."

"No excuse!"

Paying no heed to Izumi who was still naked, Rori swung her halberd, and...

*Bang*

*Bang*

*Bang*

Rori beat him up nonstop until she was satisfied after seeing Izumi's twitched body.

— — — —

When Izumi woke up, he was already in the demon capital. He felt a sharp pain running through his body after being beaten up by Rori.

"Are you okay?" It was Tabane who stayed beside Izumi. She was worried about Izumi's state when Rori told her that his transformation went out of control.

"Can I say no?" Izumi smiled while replying.

"You seem to be alright since you can smile."

"Then, what are you doing here? Are you that idle?"

"It's just the two of us. Can you answer my confession for real this time?"

"At a time like this?"

Izumi looked at Tabane who was so serious. If so, he should take it seriously as well. He didn't want to hurt Tabane any further and delayed for too long.

"Honestly, even though I've been with you all this time, my feelings for you haven't grown yet."

"..."

"I'm trying to buy time that might make my feelings for you grow over time to answer your confession. However, the reality is quite the opposite. My feelings for you are only limited to a friend and working partner."

Hearing Izumi's answer, Tabane started to feel sad that the answer to her long-awaited confession didn't achieve the result she had envisioned.

"You need to know, I don't have feelings for you. Honestly, I don't want to hurt your feelings later if I force a relationship with you. That's why I didn't want to say yes."

For some reason, Izumi couldn't develop feelings for Tabane, as if his heart was tightly closed. Even though Izumi himself wants to have a new relationship with a girl, he is quite afraid that there is no change in his feelings. Thus, he tried to reject Tabane's confession before it was too late.

Tabane could only look down after hearing what Izumi said. Izumi also felt that his refusal was unfair after hanging the answer from Tabane's confession for a long time.

Izumi tried to reach out his hand to pat Tabane's head, but he immediately stopped.

"I..."

Tabane suddenly hugged Izumi as if she didn't care even though Izumi had rejected her.

"It's okay if you don't have feelings for me yet. You won't know what will happen in the future. But, I hate your excuses. If your excuses are just like what you just said, we'd better date from now on!"

Tabane just thought that Izumi had a hard time loving someone because of his ex. Tabane felt that if Izumi dated someone, it would slowly open his tightly closed heart. Before Tabane confessed to Izumi, Izumi had given many excuses that he didn't want to date first. But, according to Tabane, it depends on Izumi's intentions if he wants to forget his past or not. Tabane didn't really like to force him. But Izumi's answer annoyed her just because he was too preoccupied with an obscure past. That's why Tabane forced Izumi to look to the future. Of course, the future with her.

Izumi felt Tabane's sincere statement coming from deep in her heart. This made Izumi hesitate.

"Can I open my heart later like she just said?" Izumi wondered to himself.

Izumi looked at Tabane to say,

"I appreciate what you said earlier. But, could it be that what you imagined would happen? I'm not sure my feelings for you will grow over time."

Without letting go of her embrace, Tabane whispered.

"Don't underestimate women's intuition!"

Izumi let out his breath slowly.

What Tabane said might have some truth in it. Izumi had given too many excuses for not being able to move on from his past relationship. This can be seen when he has no intention of having a relationship with another girl. Perhaps it would be better if he truly intended to forget the past and look to the future.

Izumi stretched out his hand and started to hug Tabane back.

"I really shouldn't have to think about the past. I should have the confidence to face the future." He said inwardly.

"Sorry, I'm too cowardly to answer your feelings. What you have said may be true. Maybe we can start dating first. We don't know what will happen in the future" Izumi finally said to her.

Tabane raised her head upon hearing Izumi's words.

"It means?" Tabane asked.

"Yeah, we will start dating." Izumi nodded.

Tabane's eyes lit up when she heard Izumi's positive answer. She felt so happy after waiting for her hanging confession for a long time.

"But, are you sure about this? If I..."

Izumi who was talking was stopped by Tabane who put her lips on his.

It was just for a moment. Yet, Izumi could feel a tingling sensation on his lips.

Tabane smiled at his reaction.

"We can think about that later. The important thing is to start our relationship first."

Tabane more or less understood what Izumi wanted to say. Izumi looks doubtful about their relationship which looks like a one-sided love. However, Tabane immediately reassured him that there was no need to worry about it.

Then, Tabane left Izumi's room with a reddened face as if she was running away from embarrassment.

Seeing what was done, he just shook his head.

"Sigh… This girl."