"Tch, what the hell? My shoe isn't hardened anymore." He was confused but have it no thought.
"How about this!?" I slashed forward, but to no avail. No blade to connect whatsoever.
"Something's not right here, Sato, pull back." We both took steps back from him.
He still didn't move, remaining silent. Something felt off, he didn't seem like he had before. "I don't trust this, he's not fighting back, and clearly he doesn't need to. Nothing we've done works, even before, when I fought him, he easily cut through my attacks. But he was much much more aggressive then. He hasn't even said a word."
"S-so what do we do? There's gotta be something he can't block." Sato said while in nervous thought.
Sato liquefied the dirt under him, holding it as a whip. "I've got this."
Sato rushed forward, swinging the whip towards him. The whip burst into dust upon contact. Sato continued to rush towards him, swinging his fist at him. A swift hook was blocked by a grab of Sato's wrist. He dug claws in deep and flung Sato in my direction.
"Woah!" I caught him in his flight, being pushed back slightly.
"Ack, ah man this hurts." Sato quickly hardened the blood seeping out of his forearm.
"This isn't gonna be easy, like I said, don't take him lightly. I have a theory, but I'm not sure with his ability. I think he can negate our powers, and it seems to be caused by that eerie aura of his. He's cut my wind last time we fought, and also when I used plasma." I spoke nervously.
"Wait, you did what? Plasma? Do you know how dangerous that stuff is? But besides that, in impressed you could make it." Sato scolded me, yet held praise.
I sighed lightly at his response. "I know that, I can't control it properly anyway. But he cut it right in half, causing a fiery hell storm as a result. So I'm not doing that again. What bothered me most is his inaction, he's not taken a step since we've began this. Something isn't-"
He began to step forward, then turned around and ran off into the street. "WAIT! Damn it." I kicked dirt into the wind.
A fleet of anti-skill vans arrived at the gate of the school. Troops piled out and began to set up investigations. The capitan of the squad approached me, assault rifle held in his arms. He was a sturdy man, had short brown hair, and stubble on his face.
"You two, where is the student?" I wasn't certain how to respond, "he ran off that way." I pointed towards the west.
"You've both done well to defend this school, I apologize for our delay. Now, we'll make sure he is brought to justice." He called on his radio, "we've got seven wounded and unconscious staff, and one student with lacerations in his wrist."
A group of medics saw to the wounded and Sato followed with them. "You take it easy man, you've done well."
"Jeez, you're making out to be done hero." His face was lightly red as he held his wrist.
After some time a student from my classroom ran out in a frantic state. "A-Aru! It's bad, I-I don't know what happened, it was all so fast."
"Hold up, what's wrong?"
"It's Mina, she's been taken!"
My blood froze at hearing his words. "She was taken by a group of high level espers. No one could stand up to them, I-I'm sorry." He was holding his side, and looked exhausted.
I stood there for a few moments, thoughts whirlingin my head. "H-h-hey! Hey! Capitan, this man's been injured. And there are more students in our class!"
The capitan sent his medical team inside the school. I stood there as time passed at a crawl, not knowing what to do. Thoughts racing in my head, "How could I let this happen? What the hell is wrong with me? Damn, damn damn!"
I slowly approached the capitan, my face in shock. "H-hey, there's something you need to know. A-a friend of mine, she was taken by a group of espers. Y-you have to do something!"
He made another radio call, talking for an extended period of time. "Alright, we've set up road blocks and filed a missing persons report. Anyone within this district will be required to show identification and residency files. We will find her, I swear on that."
After the school was able to leave I searched frantically for Kazumi. I found her as she approached the gate, she looked stress worn and unnerved.
We walked in silence to the apartment, stopping on the way at a ID post. We were both scanned and let through. I walked inside the apartment and sat on my bed, Kazumi closed the door slowly. She sat down next to me, wearing a face of consternation.
"Hey, are you okay? You look pale." She put an arm on my shoulder in concern.
I couldn't speak, my throat welling with a knot. I hugged her tight, tears streaming from my eyes. "I-I couldn't protect her… she's gone… it's all my fault…"
She held me close resting her head against mine. She was uneasy, yet held composed. "Don't say that, it's not you're fault. You've done your best. You've always been strong for me, so I'm here for you right here and now. I always will be, you know that."