By the way, this scene was written to Drive My Life by SOUND HOLIC. But if you'd like some other music to try it along to, you could always do WARNING! Nuclear Fusion! Or Electric Great Magical Fantastic Spark/Rapid Ignition of Paradice. And when you see the words "Then… allow me", you might want to put on "Rewrite" by PSYCHIC LOVER.

It's fitting, just to say the least. But feel free to put whatever music you'd like. I hope you brought the popcorn.

I really, really liked writing this chapter. An entire chapter dedicated to a battle. It's been a while since I did this, actually. Let's have things get started.

As usual, review reply time, go!

Guest: IT BEGINS.

PersonaQeminod1: Well, they are out on an open field… but… that's not going to stop the shear amount of damage :D

Krazyfanfiction: It's not just lightning he has to think about, Kurt's reaction time is another factor. And as for how he's going to fight her… well, read on XD

Samo25: MUAHAHAHA! Hehehe, I knew I was leading everyone on. And as for my comments on that scene, there are some notes on the bottom.

Demons Anarchy of Pride: This is the ultimate showdown~ Thanks for leaving a review!

Xbox432: Hehe, that was a fun scene to write. And as for Karin's views, I don't find them all bad, but I do think there are things that can be improved. Which of course, Kurt might be addressing. Thanks for stopping by!

KingArthur3: Well, that's in the works. But Kurt's not leading most armies, so that type of material would be off screen. As for the new foods and culture, that's after Reconquista War. It's in the cycle of wars and peace, after all. War happens, then as peace comes in with stability, culture can begin to shape and change.

Spartan-140: I've learned from the best in terms of cliffhangers. AKA HCBailly, an LPer on YouTube, who has some crippling cliffhangers. As for the new powers, you'll see one that I've had in the works for a while. Many thanks for stopping by!

Activemars828: Oh God, definitely not a nuclear reactor. And as stated in another reply, exploration and culture comes after wars. As for Rebuild, well… Hehehe, you'll have to wait until the next update~ Thanks for leaving a reply!

Karakasa: Hahaha, maybe. But I'm much more of a Sanae fan. Sanae is a good girl~ But I couldn't resist the shout out. Thank you for seeing that and leaving a reply!

OrionGold: That story… I will not touch it with a ten foot pole. That was from a time in my life called The Dark Years of my writing. I doubt I will ever look at that story again. But perhaps… I shall one day Rebuild it.

PredatorPuck: Then, here it is!

Again, thanks for everyone who left a review, favorited, and followed! As usual, my author notes are on the bottom!

Edit v1.1: OH MY GOD SOMEONE MADE A TROPE PAGE FOR THIS?! WHOEVER YOU ARE, THANK YOU!

Here we go!

Chapter 21: Power Overwhelming

"The storm, it calls."

Louise watched as the tornado had sucked up Kurt and the iron dust. And then a lightning strike went right into the tornado, blue as the skies before the storm.

She knew what that lightning meant.

Her father put a hand on her shoulder, perhaps to comfort her. She had believed so strongly in him and yet, this is how it turned out. "I'm sorry—"

"No, Father." Louise said, surprising him as she moved his hand away.

"Hm? What is it, Louise?"

She pointed towards the sky. "That… is not Mother's Lightning Cloud. Mother's Lightning Cloud is yellow. That lightning is blue."

"So…"

"Kurt… go for it. You are… the true Master of the Storm. Defend what is yours."

Her family thought she might have been crazy. Thought.

But not anymore. There was not just faith, a blind faith in that statement. No, there was a reason—a reason she so deeply believed in on why she would say such a thing.

And so, they watched. They watched as the two titans of power clashed.

Lightning surged everywhere around me as the tornado cleared as I used essentially what I did for the "Electric Tornado" or Ionic Vortex to get rid of it, where I wrapped one magnetic field around myself and then had one of the opposite charge go around me over and over again to mimic the effect by having the dust in the air around me be pulled in a circle, slowly and slowly into the center, counter to the tornado around me.

When it stopped, I had it become a platform beneath me, lightning striking me.

Before anyone could react, I had already taken off, straight off for her mother, Gigawatt Blade flaring to life.

With my increased nerve speeds due to my electricity powers, I easily dodged her spells.

I am the superior fighter! None can best me, the maddest of the mad, baddest of bad, unstoppable, unbeatable, nigh invulnerable, KURT BRIGHT OF NEW MARAIS!

Eventually she got the smart idea of smashing the platform with a Wind Hammer spell, but it didn't matter. I know how to fly.

I wrapped a magnetic field around myself and then used another of the opposite charge to pull myself along. Not as fun as creating a magnetic platform to hold the dust and then shifting the field around, but it worked until I managed to reform my platform.

Unfortunately to buy myself some time, I had to retreat, creating distance between us.

Alright, first thing's first: get rid of her air advantage.

Let's try the first approach!

Forming a railing like shape, I grinded along it, electricity surging as it constantly reformed as I went along. Karin would constantly try to disrupt the railing by launching an Air Hammer at the railing right ahead of me, but I'd leap into the air and stop the shaping for a second, having to fall down a bit and then ride my way back up.

Eventually I directed myself right at her, increasing the magnetic field manipulation that directed the flow of iron dust so I'd move faster at her.

An air drill was launched my way, which I dodged by leaping and rolling over to the right, going into a bit of a barrel roll shape with the railing while continuing to keep some forward momentum. Coooome on!

Let's go, let's go!

I began weaving left, right, up, down, past the flurry of small Dot level spells launched at me. All right, it's time for another strategy!

I began to move the iron railing in front and around me, encasing myself in the iron dust, then I shot forward right at her.

Just as planned, she fired a drill. In response, I split my focus in multiple directions, creating several flying iron comet trails to obfuscate my true position.

Of course, Karin then launched several dot spells, forcing me to immediately chain together several Detonation Blasts to bounce myself with the explosions, dodging any more attacks. If I could just get close enough…!

Okay, here goes. It's all or nothing with next one!

I Thunder Dropped, launching several Detonation Blasts at my landing point.

Upon hitting the group of caged electric orbs, I bounced back with such speed due to the force of the combined explosions pushing up on me right up towards Karin.

I then used magnetic fields to guide my flight path, pulling me towards her. Well, I've only prototyped this power recently, but I guess no time like the present!

"Here it goes… Maglev Blade!"

Cheesy, but it works.

The Gigawatt Blades instantly flared to life again as I traced the path around Karin. The object wasn't to hit, but just to get into position—Yes!

The instant I landed on top of it, the manticore immediately trying to buck me off, I focused two magnetic fields, almost like what I did for the Thunder Drop, pulling us in. I screamed in pain as she probably reflexively smashed me with a Wind Hammer spell, blocking with my left arm.

"HGAAAAAGH!" I roared as I could feel and hear the bones in that arm undergoing things I'd rather not hear them going through. Holy shit, better not turn on Nerve Vision! And is that bone?!

AAAAAGH! Even the runes…?!

I brought forth lightning from the skies to heal myself by absorbing it, still trying to stay on while drawing Derf with an arm that might have been broken to negate any more spells launched at me.

The flashes of green and blue danced across the skies as I blocked the barrage of Wind spells with my weaker hand in an attempt to keep up with Karin's frenzied spellcasting—not to mention the fact she was also actively fighting with her sword as well, forcing me to keep up with a wild manticore trying to buck me off, spell deflections, an active swordfight, and magnetic field manipulations!

OH MY GOD THE GROUND YES!

The instant we were close enough to the ground, I let loose the binding power that I'd seen Cole use before to keep people to the ground, except on a bigger scale, keeping the manticore to the ground.

Before I could even celebrate, I was forced off by taking a Wind Hammer spell right to the stomach, launching a spray of vomit and blood as I was thrown back, Derf flying through the air as I quickly slid back on the dirt, rolling and eating said dirt before spitting it back out as I rolled up.

"No one."

I couldn't respond, calling down another lightning strike from the skies to heal me by absorbing the electricity.

Her tone was venomous, but respectful. "No one has forced me from the skies before."

"The storm is my fucking domain. I will not let you take it."

As soon as the pain subsided, I used my powers to draw Derf over as she pointed her sword at me.

I threw myself out of the way, recovering into a roll as a Wind Hammer spell clearly whizzed by where I had been just a split second ago. Damn, she's still just as powerful, huh?!

I cut through the next Wind Hammer spell, trying to close the distance. The next second I felt a sharp pain right through my hand, finding a small hole that started to bleed—Tch, an Air Needle spell?! I can barely dodge that!

Tch, and I can barely even predict where she's going to move! Even with the runes, with my nerve enhancements, this is difficult!

I rolled out of another Air Hammer spell again, this time dodging by throwing down a Detonation Blast and smashing it, right before chaining it to another Thunder Drop and then Detonation Blast again, trying to get me in closer.

But it wouldn't work twice, as she merely launched a Wind Blade that forced me to use another Blast to shoot myself to the side in order to not be bisected.

"Oh fuck!" I yelled, bringing up an iron wall as her lance was thrown forth with wind right behind it. But it wasn't enough as I dodged, extreme pain tearing into my side as cuts appeared all over my right rib and hip area. Blood… so much blood… Damn…

There wasn't time to rest though. I've taken worse.

Ducking and weaving again as my natural regeneration kicked in (THANK GOD), I tried to close the distance. But a flurry of unpredictable spells kept me from getting closer! Dammit, if only I could see where… she's about to shoot a spell.

Nerve Vision, on.

I could see the signals now. With each pulse that came to tell the muscles to contract and me ramping up my own nerve circuits to levels I hadn't even tried before allowing me to somewhat predict where Karin was going to fire next, I slowly, ever so slowly, closed the gap between us.

Man, am I glad this storm was here, or I would've been screwed.

But that's a thought for another time.

That beautiful clang told me I had found my mark. As I had Nerve Vision fade away, I found that sparks flew through the air as our blades smashed together.

Now this is where I could begin to press the offensive!

For Master!

Thus began the flurry of blades. Without the time to use magic so much, even a very small spell, Karin began to fight with her blade except for the fact her blade had some magic already on it, causing it to be some sort of resonating or vibrating blade. Derf hissed and growled as her blade kept up with my own, despite the fact I was using the runes and Nerve—wait, enchantments!

Foquet had them before! That's why she was so difficult to nail the first time around! My plan can still go through!

I had to purposely leave myself open with a block that let me get in close, barely touching the armor Karin had. While I didn't have to touch it, I'd rather keep the fact I can disintegrate from a distance a well-guarded secret.

Her torso and arm armor vanished with a surprised and rather amused gasp as her inner clothing, dark tan padded leather chest armor (which I was thankful for because otherwise I'd have more than Louise angry at me) coming into the brightness of lightning that rippled overhead. Unfortunately her blade managed to rip a deep cut into my right arm, but my regeneration should kick in soon enough.

With that, the sword strokes seemed to slow down slightly. They weren't as bad as before, but I still had to exert effort, obviously, as she was powerful nonetheless. I ignored the blood that splattered on the ground, continuing my assault.

Sparks flew through the air as our blades clashed. Damn, she's still too fast to hit directly, I've only been able to hit her blade! I need to get close enough to take out her leg armor!

"Here we go, Derf!"

He flew through the air, magnetically accelerated as I threw myself down, diving for her legs. I knew this was probably going to hurt, but still!

I barely managed to touch her leg armor, disintegrating it just as I took a massive kick that sent pain throughout my left side as I spun through the air, rotating while Derf was tossed over to the side.

Negh! We can't take too much more of this!

Then we better make sure we do what we can!

I recalled Derf with some magnetic field manipulation, catching him as I called lightning down from the skies again just in time to meet Karin head on, our blades smashing into each other. I need to take out her sword, next.

Hgah… getting a tad bit dizzy from the blood loss, though. While I might be able to heal external injuries, I'm not exactly sure how blood loss or internal injuries are done. I don't exactly feel like testing the latter of those.

I rolled out of the way of her next lunge, trying for a slice to her back but was countered by a quick spin on her feet, launching me midway. Fortunately, I was able to catch myself in the air and reposition myself, landing on my feet and sliding along the ground, creating a ramp with iron dust to stop myself sooner before using that as a miniature launching pad.

For once, I was actually the one on the winning side of a push when our swords locked, only because I had that beginning push. Come oooooon! Dammit!

She broke the lock just before I could reach her sword, probably realizing that I was destroying her pieces of armor and other equipment by touching them.

Alright, there's only one way to do this.

Continuously sweeping left and right, I left myself open for a vertical slice—yes!

"Neuhggggnn!" I grunted, catching her resonating blade in my hand. Gahhh! Dis… disintegrate!

I let out a sigh of relief as the blade vanished once I was finally able to focus hard enough to make the electrons that bound the sword together fly apart. Gah…?! Is that bone?! Holy shit!

This time though, I knew there was a counterattack coming and managed to yank myself out of the way.

There's not too much power left in this storm, I think… I don't have a lot more hits left. Maybe two full heals, max. But if I wanted to finish this, I might have to use a special attack, leaving me with only one heal. Looks like I'll just have to stake it out, then.

Pretty much… the one way I can actually win this is with that special attack. The one that I used to defeat the Ice Golem… Master Spark.

Karin drew another wand. And then suddenly a green blade appeared as she finished a very minimalistic spell. Tch… all right, two can play at that game.

"Derf."

"Yes?"

"Let's end this."

"That blade has a lot of power." Derf noted as I charged him with electricity, Derf giving off a hum of excitement compared to the pained hissing from before. "I can't absorb it, but I can take some of its power."

"I just need to get her open." I took a breath as iron dust began to coat Derf. "Are you fine with this?"

"Let's get dangerous, Partner."

I easily spun around the bigger, electrified, iron coated Derf with the power of the runes before running forward, "COME AND GET SOME!"

There was more distance for me to fight at, not to mention the fact Derf was bigger, allowing me to block spells with him with much more ease than before. Not to mention the fact that with the iron dust coating him, I could easily reform the blade over and over again.

Both of us took hits. Electricity surged into her, allowing small openings. But she was a master of the sword. Yes, the runes might have assisted me, but they did not give me years and years of experience. They could only simulate it in my body, but there was also the fact I was limiting their power in order so my mind may remain mine.

My regeneration kept getting defeated by the sheer amount of damage she could deal, but it was helping. By the time our swings had even begun to slow down, both of us were almost like walking corpses. The electricity sometimes looked like puppet strings, barely holding me up. But she was breathing heavily as well. Constant electric shocks, the heat and pain they provided, alongside being cut by Derf, and the sheer amount of time we had spent fighting were taking their toll.

Karin leapt away and launched a tornado at me. All right, let's go. I've… I've got time, let's time this just right to cancel them out… IONIC VORTEX!

I slammed the ground and brought forth the same tornado that I used against Henrietta, but this time, this time used it just at the right moment to actually stop the tornado rather than just have them dance around each other.

Of course, that didn't mean I had a break as Karin launched another set of Air Needles at me despite her tiredness, one of them catching my left arm and causing bleeding as I dived to the right, recovering into a roll while reforming Giant Derf, as I'm going to refer to Derf as when I've got him coated in iron dust like now.

I'm going all out! I can win this! I have to finish this now!

Ever so closely, I fought my way closer and closer. I can just… make it…!

I brought down another lightning strike… and readied to finish this.

As much as I wanted to yell out my attack, it just would alert her to what I was going to do. I can't unleash this just yet; I need to be right next to her for maximum effectiveness.

Eventually Giant Derf faded away into his normal form as I let the iron dust fly away, electricity running up and down my entire body and thusly across the ground where there was some iron dust.

"Oh damn—!"

I was swept off my feet by a whiplash of wind. As I was in the air, I got slammed by multiple wind spells. Sounds that definitely were not good like bones snapping filled my ears, louder than the howling winds.

It was if I was a punching bag, held up on tense strings. I wasn't even moving around due to the sheer speed of the barrage of attacks.

I was slammed into the ground. All my breath, gone.

Karin wasted no time.

Everything slowed down.

Maybe it was a defensive reaction of mine, accelerating the electric pathways of my brain that facilitated thought to extremes. My thoughts raced indefinitely, calculating every last possibility, every word, all in the fraction of a second.

But there was one principle thought.

Why have I not stood up?

Why wasn't I up and winning right now? I had a plan. I could put it to use. The storm was right there, ready for me to use it. A servant awaiting her master's beckon. So why didn't I say anything? Why wasn't I doing anything?

Come on… no… this fight… wasn't just about me.

It was about Louise.

Who was superior? Whose ideals that each fighter lived by, who would turn out on top?

Karin and her Rule of Steel?

Or me and my more Ubermensch-esque ways?

Because I always told Louise that no one could tell her what was right and wrong for her. That was something she had to choose for herself, save for the few absolutes. She's slowly been drifting towards that. My ideals. No, now hers. She's decided upon them for herself.

But would she ultimately become better because of it? Become stronger? Strong enough to face whatever what came?

Would I be the same, with my rules?

…Yes.

I would trump the Rule of Steel. I would rise. Rise above tradition. Bring forth the tomorrow I want for this place.

…Get up.

All the iron dust around me zoomed in, creating a cocoon that blocked her attack. She barely even flinched. But the irritation was now actually present on her face.

Another Detonation Blast.

It formed on my fingers. I moved my hand back behind me, then arched my back to slam into it. In an instant, I was catapulted back onto my feet, Gigawatt Blade and Derf in my left and right hand.

"You're still standing."

"I could say the same to you."

We paced around in a circle, waiting for the other to make a strike. If she struck first, then I could try to cancel with Derf. That'd buy me a bit of time to use it.

Screw the pain. My path has always been about pain. Pain from your mistakes. Dealing with it. The Rule of Steel does not allow for mistakes. Maybe I'm misinterpreting that, I don't know. That is how I have seen it. Perfection, becoming it. That's what Louise was trying to become before. A carbon copy of her mother. Eleanor's on a pretty solid track to that.

Which is why I'll say it again. Fuck the pain. Because it's a part of me. Every piece of it. I'll accept it, whether I like it or not. Because while I hate mistakes, while I hate making them, I will tolerate their consequences, the reward for the trouble I have made.

"I'll admit, your Rule of Steel has made you almost unbreakable. But there is one thing that can break it. I'll tell you what it is, too. An idea. An idea, whose time has come! Let's finish this!"

I moved. Forward. Towards my target. Towards, for all intents and purposes, my opposite. The bastion of tradition. An unbreaking embodiment of an idea. I was the antithesis of that. The paragon of change. A flowing persona of new ideals.

Karin was silent as she moved in to make her attack. My sword clashed with hers. I tried for another lunge with the Gigawatt Blade. No dice.

She went up into the air. It was like the Float spell, but much more controlled, much more streamlined. If I were to give it a name, no doubt it would be Flight. Karin wasn't just a Wind Mage, it seemed, but rather the Wind Mage. Not only in power, but in usage.

In all honesty, she held the advantage. I probably would have lost before, if it wasn't for the storm. But now? If I was in my current mindset right now when I started the fight, the weather wouldn't be that much of a factor. A mere convenience or inconvenience at most.

I took to the skies with a slam down on a Detonation Blast, adjusting myself with Static Thrusters and magnetic fields, chasing after her.

Our blades clashed in the full three dimensional battlefield. This is where things got a lot more complicated. She had more control, but my movements were far harder to account for.

"You claim your ideals are what give you power, then?"

"Perhaps. Rather, my determination."

Our power blades locked.

"Because if I was easily shaken away, this power I hold would mean nothing."

"And what about those without your power?"

More blade swipes. Another lock.

"They will be the ones to follow. A normal man who believes and acts strongly in his ideals may influence someone who does have power. An assistant has no power of their own. But when they influence their boss, it is there they can exercise power!"

"Hm…"

We kept on attacking each other. Through the air we soared. Fortunately there wasn't a lot around these open fields, or whatever was there would have been obliterated.

"So you are the one who has taught Louise of her new values…"

"I only gave the tools to decide for herself." I countered, blocking a fatal strike. "If she decides to take after my own ideals, so be it, as long as she does it to make them her own ideals one day, not thinking about what I would do, but what she would do in a situation."

Our blades kept hitting each other, over and over again. Derf was beginning to grunt in pain, but told me that he could keep going. Because as long as I was in this, he was too. Thanks… Partner.

"Do you understand now? What I have done? I've given her something greater. The ability to think for herself."

My Gigawatt Blade flashed red for a second. "Do you know what happened when we first fought Foquet? She didn't leave me behind when I told her to. She gave me words that weren't hers as for an explanation why. I understand who those words came from. Where she repeated them. I will not stand idly by as—!"

"What gives the right to decide what is correct and what is not?!"

Anger. Sheer, all-consuming anger. But it was ice cold, sharpened like a weapon.

I managed to take advantage of an opening and knocked her to the ground. I Thunder Dropped, almost snagging a hit, but was a second late. Once again, we engaged in swordplay.

"Do you believe just because you are trusted by many, that you can dictate what is right? Do you think that just because you come from foreign lands, that you are correct?"

"I do not believe I am right. I know I am right. Because it is written into all of us—" Block a decapitating slice! "—something greater. A recognition of injustice. Have you seen it before? A person who does not know, ignorant of their actions. Take that person and teach them. Tell them. When their eyes are opened, when that key is turned, it all spills out. The knowledge and actions of guilt and conscience are burned into us!

"And in addition, so are the desires of freedom and companionship, regardless of the circumstances! Interacting with those we are not meant to because of fucking society's laws because they make us happy, because they understand, there's something in humans that craves that! And who are we to deny that urge to overcome the Great Silence of Life?!"

We were getting sloppy. The fight was breaking down as the heated words flew back and forth. Gone were the refined movements. I had successfully broken her mask. But at what cost?

"Do you dare speak so highly of yourself? That you would think to understand this world's entirety? That you would know of what humans are made of? Boy, you are barely as old as Louise."

"And I've been reading a fuckton of books! My home's been debating this stuff for thousands of fucking years! And the society, the beliefs, the ideals my home carries and fights for are the amalgamation and refinement of every single one of them! People have died for these beliefs, to ensure they carry them onto the next generation!

"And I would think to understand this world's entirety! Because my home sought to classify and organize the world! To make order of the chaos for that which threatened us! There are things we didn't want to understand, too!"

"Then what would your science leave untouched?"

"I know we didn't want to understand miracles. Why they happened. Why people hoped in the midst of despair. Why a man could keep getting up when he should be dead for love. What love even is. That's just the tip of the iceberg."

Another opening, but I was too late. Dammit!

"I'm just a kid. Yeah, I'll admit it. I'm just a fucking kid who's going to war because my mind's all screwed up and warped. But like hell I'm just going to let Reconquista trample over this place and neither will Louise. Because it's got people I care for. Ideals I stand for. It's got potential to change the world. To take hold of the reins of fate. Because fuck it, we're breaking past the improbable and transcending upon the impossible. Because that's what humanity was meant to do! We're meant to change, even if it's destructive. But it's precisely the fact we try to change and create at the same time that makes us human.

"So I'll show you.

"This is my humanity. The face of the one who fell and rose up. Who dug his own grave, only to be helped out of it by a fellow human. The convergence of a thousand years' worth of knowledge, ideas, and beliefs. This is the result of the knowledge that I have passed onto Louise!"

So… this woman, her mother…

Yes—dodge another attack!—what is it?

You words are true?

Why wouldn't they be?!

Then… allow me.

I didn't even have time to think anything in return before Derf began glowing gold, the runes doing the same. The light seemed to connect with Derf and I could feel something tingling in my head. But it wasn't oppressive, not like before… I don't know…

Please pardon the pain.

The first slice.

It was pathetic.

Karin immediately counterattacked. And it hurt like a motherfucker.

A brief image of a young elven girl first wielding a sword passed through my head.

The second slice.

It was microscopically less pathetic.

Karin immediately counterattacked, but seemed slightly confused on why my strikes suddenly got really horrible. Goddammit runes, are you trying to get me killed?!

—An even briefer image, of the first time that the young girl tried to cut something.

Then things went crazy. Third slice. Fourth slice. Fifth slice. Sixth slice. More and more. Over and over again. More images with every movement. Each slice, getting…

Faster.

Deadlier.

Smoother.

More efficient.

Better.

It was… hyper accelerated evolution of a sword strike. It was with this that I realized that my feats that had been recognized as a supposed "Master Swordsman" were nothing. It was… my abilities were nothing. Even if I kept progressing at this pace, no, even at three times this pace, it would be hundreds of years before I even could be thought to be a Master.

Karin eventually began to only be able to match me. We were fighting on completely even ground as sword fighters. She used magic to get ahead. I had to keep swinging.

A thrust. With it, came the image of an elven woman stabbing what had to be a mage in front of the others. But it wasn't enough.

A second thrust, this time with enough killing force behind it. With it, the image of an elven woman fighting reality itself.

So this is it, huh runes? Is this your story, then?

…Perhaps.

Then, thank you. For allowing me this.

It is for Master. She wishes to fight. You must defeat her to allow that. Nothing more.

Goddamn, just say "You're welcome". Sheesh, did no one teach you manners?

I find that even more offensive, coming from you.

Whatever.

My swings kept getting better. Let's see what this power can do…

I put Derf into the hand with the runes and then sparked up the Gigawatt Blade.

May I? I will need to tap into your mind.

You get three fucking seconds.

That will be more than enough to understand.

—The evolution shifted. Accounted for a new variable. Went down a completely different path. Became something absolutely unique. The small split off point becoming larger and larger until it looked like a massive tree.

It started off slow again. But because of my familiarity, that perhaps became the runes' familiarity, with my Gigawatt Blade, growth exploded. The different fighting style that we were using felt completely natural.

"—Ngk!"

Got her.

Blood had shot up, but only a small amount. But it meant I was gaining the upper hand. Our blades flashed again. Both of us took hits this time. At this point, Karin was pushing even harder, trying to beat out my evolution.

Our weapon swings looked like blurs. Green, gold, and blue whipped through the air. Dammit, this path of advancement must take a while, considering that I'm still not equivalent to her. Even with two weapons, she's still managing to dodge and block my strikes. Her ability to change alongside me is admirable.

"—Shit!"

She had leapt away.

Another flurry of sharp Wind Blades, coming every which way. She probably wouldn't have used Tornado, I could cancel that out. Looks like I'll just have to prove how far I've come!

I danced around the razor winds, blocking and absorbing with Derf while whirling around the Gigawatt Blade to deflect as well. Maybe electrons don't have too much mass, but at least when made into these sheets and compacted, they've got marginal deflection power.

If one was watching from afar, they'd probably see a shining gold break out of a sea of green winds. The instant I made it out, I leapt to attack Karin.

Back down onto the ground. Perfect. Evolution continued, with the winds having been the tester, the one that decided what was unnecessary and what could be improved. Despite having numerous injuries, I came out in better shape than before.

My strokes were refined. My slashes were efficient. My attacks were more than sufficient to break her defenses on occasion.

All the flashes were practically blinding, everything becoming a whitewash. The sounds of metal and limbs rushing were practically all white noise and there was nothing else present to help detect Karin's presence other than my basic intuition. Nerve Vision wouldn't help, it would break my focus as a thousand tiny threads would flood my existence.

No wonder people feared her. Though I have to ask, how many people have seen her like this? That have fought her one to one on the ground, against an onslaught such as this? Truly, something to have answered.

Karin eventually broke the lock, stepping back as I cleaved through air, yet maintained my balance. A small pause, probably since we had been going at this for a while. Cuts lined both of our clothing, or at least, what was left of it.

As a side note that Louise must never know that I know, Karin rocks black.

"What's the matter, getting tired?"

"I would save the taunting for when you are not panting as well, Partner." Oh, my claimed title? Perhaps she's warming up.

"Well… I suppose."

"Your path has taught you well."

"…So has your Rule of Steel."

"And this is what you have taught my daughter?"

I gave a straightforward answer. "Yes."

"Hm. Interesting. Time will tell which path she chooses."

"I'd rather her not choose a path. Let her make her own."

"That is what you would say. Very well. If you wish to, we may end here. You have proven yourself and earned my approval, Kurt Bright."

"…You still want to fight, don't you?"

A ghost of a smile. "It has been an eternity since anything has pushed me this far."

"Then, as you wish, Duchess. Now, shall we resume?"

A howling wind was my reply.

I cut through it easily—holy shit rocks from the ground!

"Did you think that I only utilized Wind spells?" She asked in that brief window she had. Damn, here I was thinking I could get lucky. Ah well.

They were fairly basic Earth spells, just causing some rising ground to harden up. But combined with Wind Blade and masses of Wind Hammers, made for a lot of projectiles that were irregular. And irregularity meant unpredictability.

Runes?

Let us continue.

Entropy, a natural part of life. I navigated through the field of it, constantly changing. Again, just like with the Wind Blades, I developed into something greater. Karin must realize it by now, that she has to destroy me in one blow, or I'll eventually overtake all her tricks, no matter the pain.

Thank God the storm was present, though. While I wasn't utilizing it as much, the occasional slight heal helped.

I'm pretty sure she's not going to use Fire though. She absolutely disdains Germanians, which love fire. But that means my weakness is next one I get through all of these rocks. Okay, just have to figure something out. What if…

…Yeah, I can see it. Disintegration. Rip apart a water molecule by getting rid of the binding electrons that allow its polar charge, that give it the property of sticking together. Justify it by the sheer heat of lightning.

There wasn't a moment of rest. As soon as I finished carving through the last giant boulder launched at me, I had to backflip to avoid a water stream sent for me. Not sure your evolution is going to quite help here, runes. Let me do my thing.

As you wish.

Whenever she streamed, I launched lightning into it. Disintegrated it. Matched every single one of her attacks with one of my own. Just a little more… I have to take a risk. The storm's starting to run out and honestly, I need to finish this up.

I mean, eventually I'm going to have to clock out. My body simply will be too tired and out of energy to keep fighting.

…One last lightning strike left in the storm. All right…

…There was only one choice.

"This is what my path has taught me."

Those words weren't really directed at anyone. But it was true.

I didn't absorb the lightning strike to heal myself. The sheer overload sparked around my body. Let's finish this.

I raised Derf high to feint a vertical strike, pushing my senses to observe things so quickly due to highly accelerated nerves that it all seemed to slow down. I would have loved to have the Evolution Strike for this, but well, whatever.

And then I began as Karin used her counter.

Every nerve in my body was already screaming in pain. I mean, motherfucker, we'd been fighting here for a good… long time.

First, I kicked her with my speed. That sent her backwards, the sheer tiredness eventually causing her to almost fall to one knee.

Second, I leapt up into the air. Let's make this look like lightning fucking rained down from the sky. EAT THIS!

This attack doubled—no, tripled that pain as the sheer amount of heat going through me caused them to screech and plead and beg for me to stop.

"This is everything I have learned! That the real strength is not in never falling, but in rising every time you do and giving life the middle finger! Defy the storm and the master himself will come to force her will! MASTER SPAAAAAAAAARK!"

There was no point trying to avoid it. There was no dodging such an extremely wide attack at point blank range. It would've been far more effective if she had armor, but I didn't want to fry her completely, but this was still going to hurt.

The sheer amount of electricity discharged came out as a giant blue beam of sorts that lit up the black skies. I could hear a pained female scream.

Unlike before though, I actually had a lot more injuries and couldn't sustain it for very long.

I stopped the sheer discharge and fell to my knees before fully collapsing on the ground, Derf flopping onto the ground next to me among the iron dust and ruined property. Ha… haa… haaa… that was… brutal…

Looking up, I found Karin was on the ground too. I… had to stand.

Putting my right hand on Derf, I stuck him into the ground and wrapped my hands around him despite the fact he managed to cut my hands as I began to climb up.

Right… left… right… left… I can… reach his hilt…!

I barely managed to get up and stand up before calling down lightning one final time to heal myself, but the pain and soreness was still there.

"You ready for… Round Two?" I called out, trying to somewhat hide my sheer pain.

I could only hear a small chuckle before I passed out, hitting the ground with a cruel, releasing, comforting thud.

This fight scene. It is fourteen pages. In single space. Ten point font. And is like 6.3k words. On my word processor, anyways.

This is also the fucking eighth version of this fight scene.

Okay, so basic breakdown of the versions:

Version 0: Did not even exist.

Version 1: Kurt grabs her with magnetic field. Hurls her into ground.

Version 2: Kurt launches himself up with magnetic field dragged at Karin. Punches her right in the fact.

Versions 3-5 are about the same, with some minor variations.

Version 6: Kurt gets sucked into tornado, struggles. Eventually breaks free, fights Karin with some difficulty, then makes Gigantic Derf out of all the iron dust and electrifies him, smashing Karin.

Version 7: Same thing, except no Giant Derf and rather, Master Spark.

Verison 8 (this one): Added the entire fight symbolism and everything, including the Runes' new ability of Hyper Accelerated Evolution.

So, let me explain HAE. A friend of mine thought that Saito's original ability functioned like this. He started off as a crappy swordsman. Touches blade, he gets better instantly. Hyper Accelerated Evolution.

But it's unrefined, it's too quick. That's why he still has to train like crazy. But given more time, more points; that's why the Runes start Kurt off from the beginning—so he can have the most paths available to him, to evolve down. That's how he gets better. We (as in, my biology minded friends) are calling it "Evolution Strike" and it seemed pretty nice. Plus it allows for a really nice boss fight later. And I'll admit it, I took inspiration from the visual novel Rewrite.

As for the other things. I noted a lot of people said there seemed to be references to the Hill of Swords. That's actually one of those stories that is on my list of fics to not read at the moment, since I really don't want to accidentally take any ideas that I read off the internet (my personal rule is not to read any stories in the categories I am writing at the moment). I have been told it ends after the Tabitha Rescue Arc, so after I get past that, I will probably read it. I've been told it's quite good, actually.

Anyways, as usual please don't hesitate to leave a review or shoot me a private message if you've got any questions! If you liked this chapter, please do favorite, follow, review or all three if you're so inclined! I love hearing from you guys~

Seeya next chapter!

Poll Results:

Siesta as a Conduit?! *Results Nonbinding to Story*

Definitely YAY! 49%

Somewhat yay. 21%

Eh… maybe, maybe not. 11%

Somewhat nay. 1%

Definitely NAY! 18%

Cryptic Hint for Next Chapter:

"The heart is quite the fragile thing…"