"System of Dueling, Third Part" (023)

- Enrokonai City (Dueling Stadium), Monday, 3:11 pm -

When the oblivion ended, Tim dropped his arm, and with it, his dark aura, as he walked back to his half of the field, putting one arm on the hip and the other next to it, turning to face the others, who were horrified, while the rest of his cheering civilians continued to chant and scream with pleasure.

"I guess you're up next, Iva." Iva's heart was pierced by fear, and she was quickly unsure of what to do in the face of such a dangerous foe.

"Tim, this has to come to a stop! Aren't you trying to murder all of us with that attack? What good is Dueling if you're just attempting to kill us all?!" Tim sighed as Codey yelled fiercely.

"Actually, the Spiritual Shield wasn't supposed to be shattered..."

Others were much more terrified, and Ayuka dared to inquire. "What do you mean?"

"The strike was not powerful enough to defeat it. It appears that your friend set out to lose." Others noticed when he said that.

"Yes, that is correct... It was never our intention to defeat him in a Duel. We had no choice but to haul you out last. That is to say, unless you can beat him, we should all lose." Codey explained, his gaze fixed on Ayuka.

"So... If he merely kept pressing and didn't take that strike square in the face, that must mean he surrendered the instant the attack landed, right?" Ayuka sighed, her face concerned.

"If he kept going, he'd be guaranteed to keep the combat within 10-minutes, if he'd done that... You might not have had had a chance to win if the lineups had changed... As a result, we must either surrender before the 10-minute mark or lose due to pure luck."

"However, we must set up an adequate time for Ayuka... So we need to keep the combat under 10 minutes, yet long enough for Ayuka to get the necessary supplies."

"So you're willing to stake our lives on a winning bet?" Kylin, who was undecided about their tactics, inquired. "Let's face it, if we'd stuck to our old strategy, there was no way he could have won." Following the explanation, Codey and the rest cast glances at Ayuka, who promptly raised her arm.

Tim locked his gaze on her and waited for her to grant him a favor. "Will you let me treat Elliot for his wounds if I pledge to return here in a timely manner?" When Tim questioned Ayuka, she was tense yet hopeful.

"Do you believe I'm a moron? I'm not going to let my prey run away. Furthermore, if you say you're trying to treat his wounds, it's very clear that you're looking for help to kill me."

"We are not attempting to assassinate you. I'm sure you're aware that everyone's life is important in some way, and you're supposed to be one of our friends. I swear I'm not going to call any backups or seek assistance."

"...Will 30 minutes suffice...?" Tim pondered, his arms crossed. "... 40 minutes, at the very least!" Tim, on the other hand, declined. "No, it'll take 30 minutes. I'll only let you go if you can finish in less than 30 minutes. I'll also make it a point to storm the place. Make your choice."

"Ayuka... You were only given 30 minutes by him. I don't think you should go unless you actually need 10 minutes or more."

"Alright. It'll take 30 minutes." When Ayuka saw Tim's solemn expression, she dashed down the stairs and behind him, terrified.

"Oh, and one more thing... if you're even a second late, I'll-" Ayuka's eyes got horrified an instant later, but she fled through the split wall without saying anything.

"Hurry up, Iva! I don't have time to squander!" Tim pulled his sword and thrust the tip of it at her. "He just gives her 30 minutes, but he doesn't even give us rest... This is inconvenient." But, eventually, Iva stood up, a little hesitant at first, but a few seconds later, she was standing opposite Tim.

The black particles shot out as Iva slashed the sword to the side and made a metal sound. She stood frightened as she reached out with both hands to the side, summoning a long and hefty claymore that sparkled brightly.

"I'm aware that Iva is a formidable opponent... But when it comes to facing a swift opponent one on one, she has a slim chance of prevailing..." Kylin corroborated what Codey had said.

"Ayuka is the one who comes closest to his level based on their stats. We're both quick, but we prefer a projectile or a delicate weapon... Ayuka, on the other hand, prioritizes a sturdy and light weapon, and her physical speed is amazing." But, when Kylin explained everything, the duel began.

Tim spun his hilt while inserting his finger through the hole and tying a blue string around it. "I must say, you haven't battled in quite some time, and I'm wondering if you're rusty... Iva!" Iva was taken aback when Tim chuckled and dashed back.

"Well, you're still as frail as when I first saw you!" Tim laughed hysterically as he swung forward and flung the blade at Iva, who was taken off guard.

"Is it true that he threw it? Is he going to light the match?!" However, rather than avoiding it, Iva blocked the sword, rebounding it back, and before falling to the ground, Tim pulled the blade's cord and sprinted forward, catching it in the motion.

Tim struck forward with his sword, stabbing Iva through her left shoulder, and while in position to make a follow-up attack, he pulled the sword back and smashed Iva in the stomach with his knee, pushing her onto the withered grass.

When Iva swung the heavy claymore over her head, Tim adjusted his posture and balance and accelerated forward once more.

Tim gripped the floor and launched himself to the side of her body, avoiding the stroke and feeling the hefty sword slam on the ground. "Resting Quake!" Surprisingly, as the claymore made contact with the ground, she sent a shockwave through the earth, shattering the floor and launching Tim into the air.

"Whoa-Oh-Woah!" Iva twisted her other hand over her palm and fired a bullet-like pebble at Tim, ready to strike. However, Tim was fortunate in that after bending back, he rapidly plummeted down from the shattered ground and landed using his shoulder as support.

While he sustained some harm as a result of the fall, he instantly sensed Iva hovering over him, infuriated, slamming the claymore down with full force into the ground.

Tim was slammed in an instant, and the effort put into the hit resulted in a big crater beneath Iva, where the rocks were launched in the air.

"She already has him?". Even Codey seemed astonished, although it was obviously incorrect, and when Iva raised her claymore, Tim's body liquified, catching Iva off guard.

Only seconds later, the liquid began to float into the air, becoming a human figure, and Iva looked behind her back to see what was going on, finding Tim smiling and unhurt.

"What?!"

When the blade fell from the sky, twirling and catching in Tim's grip, he raised his right arm. "This is an intriguing strategy. To help you, the field is being demolished. But, I'm afraid, such a blunder will not overwhelm me."

Codey took a step forward, startled. "He has counter-strategies for all of our attacks! How are we going to compete against that?!" Codey wondered as he practiced his attacks, sweating profusely.

"If he has a method to oppose both Elliot and Iva, then must mean he has a strategy for us two, and possibly Ayuka as well..." Kylin's arms were trembling and she was tense.

"This isn't a good situation... What can we do, if that's the case, to combat Kineticism? It's as if we're on the verge of winning..." Codey reclined back in his seat, listening to the people around them yell with delight.

"I'm really excited to get his autograph! Miyazaki has been on a winning streak since losing to the third-best student in that High School! Timoshi, win for us!" Codey and the others were irritated by the yelling.

"And his supporters don't seem to mind that the city is being demolished! All they want is for something to happen!" As a result, Codey shook his head and grabbed it.

"Wait, take a look..." Codey picked up on something that Kylin had mentioned. "Are you seeing it as well?" Codey confirmed her friend's suspicions. "Yes, you are correct. The more he employs his Phantasm, the brighter his aura becomes."

"It has to have some form of purpose, and it has to be attractive. He doesn't seem to be having much fun with it, and he's even shaking!" Tim smiled as he secretly reached for his left arm, attempting to stop it from shaking.

"I'll tell you the truth. I didn't anticipate you to make such a large field disaster, let alone more than me, but this is intense!" Tim sliced his sword to the side as soon as he let go of his hand.

Iva, on the other hand, sprang into the air with her claymore dragging behind her, raised it high above her head, and shrieked as she prepared to dunk-slam Tim.

"100 Million's Earthquake!" Others were startled when Iva's body began to glow with her orange aura. "What exactly is she up to?! If she uses that attack to slam the ground, the entire area will be destroyed!" Tim, on the other hand, grinned and a leaf slowly floated down.

Tim reached for the side of his hip with the blade and closed his eyes, instantaneously generating blue energy that burned tremendously fiercely.

"Shadowdust..."

Iva noted that his emission grew stronger as he was unable to grasp it.

"Slash..."

Tim cut in a solidus, then burst out a long opening and blasted a quick wave that astonished Iva, and she felt her skin scorching as she was struck into her body while pressing forward.

"What the h-hell is going on here? This is s-so h-hot! I'm b-barely holding it together, d-damn it!" She felt her Spiritual Shield was on the point of breaking as she yelled and tried to continue the attack.

"Stop, Iva! Simply give up! If you keep attacking, your body will be entirely melted!" However, Codey's words were ignored. "I... am not going to lose like that! At the very least, I want him to be hurt, so keep pressing! Let's get this party started!" Iva's eyes widened wide and her eyes glowed as she dropped down after yelling.

"Meteor Crush!" When she swung her claymore through Tim's slash, it solidified and gleamed, and despite being burned by his attack, she eventually fell down, only an inch above Tim's torso, catching his surprised expression.

"Go to hell!" Finally, following her scream, she slammed her claymore against the wall, but the end result was different, and Tim smiled.

"Manifold Shadow..." Iva swiftly stopped the strike and landed on the floor, losing sight of her opponent as Tim cast his words and vanished into thin air.

"Did he vanish?" Iva's arms were weakened by the heat and damage, so she tried to locate her assailant. "Did you... Kylin, see him?" However, after being turned down, Codey's eyes trembled with surprise, and he screamed.

"Iva, get moving! Withdraw yourself from the situation!" An unseen slash broke through Iva's chest, and blood spurted out of her chest without her knowing what had happened, causing her pupils to roll up, and Tim stood behind her, clutching his sword, slowly hearing her feeble speech.

"... W-What's the matter with y-you?" Her soft voice faded, and her body sagged, leading her to pass unconscious, the claymore landing next to her on the floor.

Tim slashed the sword forward and turned it in the appropriate direction in time with the holographic screen's score change, rotating the blade on the tip of his finger.

"Iva! Oh, for God's sake!" Leaning over the railings, Codey yelled. "Let me murder him! I've had enough! I don't even give a damn!" When Codey saw Tim's smirk, he screamed, his eyes burning crimson.

"Stop! Codey! You're going to be the one to die!"

"Let me go! Enough is enough!" Codey's teeth were sharpening as he unleashed a barrage of violent and crimson energy. "Codey! Stop it! We can't lose Ayuka! We have to go on with the plan!" Kylin clung to Codey with all her might.

"Not unless I kill him first!"

"Codey!" Kylin screamed when Tim spoke up while Codey was still being held back. "I'm guessing the little Demon misplaced his supper; what a coincidence!" Tim clutched his frantic forehead once more, and something began to happen.

His Inner Fiend's white liquid began to take possession. Kylin's arm was slapped aside by Codey's scream as it extended further out. "You're dead meat!" Finally, Codey sprang off the railing and dashed onto the field at full speed.

"Codey! You're exacerbating the problem!"

But, eventually, Codey's Demon emotions reached a breaking point, and it was evident that Tim's most powerful opponent had broken free. The Dueling System proceeded, and the end results remained a mystery.

To be continued...