From the smoke still floating in the sky, Nagi plummeted. He landed on his feet, but stumbled, his legs shaking with the effort. I descended more slowly, landing softly on the ground.

"Relax, I can keep going," Nagi said, his voice strained.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay... you attack first."

"A few scratches won't stop me," Nagi replied. "Don't worry."

Half-dazed, he launched himself at me.

From behind the safety barrier, the girls watched in amazement.

"W-wow... Nagi is incredible. He was able to withstand Natsu's blasts," Naori said.

"Yeah, but he didn't come out completely unscathed," Ren analyzed. "You can tell by the way he's moving that he's stunned."

"Now I think my hopes are on Natsu," Diana admitted.

"Natsu is completely overpowered!" Chizuru exclaimed.

"What does that mean?" Diana asked, confused.

Nagi and I engaged in a clash of sword and fist. His speed had slowed, but so had mine. Attacking with my bare fists against the edge of his katana was taking its toll; my knuckles were covered in small cuts. Realizing this, I pushed him away with my feet, jumping back to create distance. We were both exhausted, breathing heavily.

"Natsu!" Nagi shouted.

"Yeah, what is it?" I replied, panting.

"Get ready. Here comes my final attack."

"Come at me with everything you've got. I'm ready," I said, wiping my sweat and crossing my arms in front of me to protect myself.

If I use this attack, I might not be able to continue... Nagi thought. This will be a fight of endurance. Whoever falls first loses, but...

"This isn't the time to hesitate," Nagi whispered.

"Huh?" I asked, confused.

Nagi inhaled deeply... and then exhaled. Around his body, many more lightning bolts than before began to crackle, scattering throughout the training ground.

"Hello, I'm back," Mei said, appearing out of nowhere. "And I recommend you all get behind this rock."

"When did you leave?" Chizuru asked, as everyone hid behind the rock.

Nagi launched himself at me at a speed even I hadn't expected. I managed to stop his sword in a desperate struggle, my arms straining against the steel.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" we both shouted, pushing with all our might.

Biri-biri-biri... BZZZANNN!

BOOMMMM!

A burst of energy engulfed us. The girls, behind the rock, felt the wind lift their hair as they tried to see who had won.

When the mist cleared, Nagi and I stood motionless, facing each other. The silence was absolute, until... Nagi's knees buckled and he fell to the ground. I could barely stand, but I managed.

"Natsu is the winner!" Mei announced.

"I expected it," Ren said with a smug smile.

"YES! THAT'S IT!" Chizuru shouted, elated.

"But is Nagi okay?" Naori asked, worried.

"Good fight, bro," I said.

Nagi coughed. "Thanks... but I can't move. Help me up, my legs won't respond."

"Sure."

I helped him stand and put his arm around my shoulders to support him.

"Hey, Chizuru, will you help me carry him off the field?" I asked.

"Okay... but are you okay?"

"Relax, you'll see."

The two of us carried Nagi to a corner and gently laid him down. I placed my hands on his chest, and a warm, yellowish-green light began to emanate from them.

"How can you use that level of magic? It's incredible," Diana said, amazed.

"I like healing magic, so I learned a lot from books. I even learned how to use royal-level healing magic."

"The same kind the Renai royal family's doctors use!"

"Yes, but I can't cure illnesses like they can. I'd like to reach god-level someday."

"That's impossible. No one, not even the best mages, has ever achieved such a feat."

"Yeah, but for me, it's better to try something than to give up on it."

Nagi jumped up, completely healed. "I'm fine now. I could go for another fight."

Crackkk...

The sound of his back cracking echoed in the air.

"Ouch, my back."

"Yeah, right, like you could handle another fight," I mocked.

"Shut up."

"Okay," Mei announced. "Next up are Miss Ren and Miss Naori!"

They both took their respective sides of the field.

"Begin—"

"Wait a minute," Naori said. "I can't start yet."

Ren looked at her with a reassuring smile. "Naori, look at me. Let's just have fun, shall we?"

"Okay."

Naori exhaled, and her body transformed. "Come on, Ren."

Ren ran, drew her dagger, and leaped over Naori, slashing downward. The impact sent up a cloud of sand. Naori, in turn, threw Ren away from her and lunged, but Ren dodged by ducking quickly.

"AHHHHh!" Naori screamed, falling face-first into the sand.

"That's gotta hurt," Chizuru commented.

Naori got up, and the two of them launched themselves into the middle of the field. Naori's claws and Ren's dagger collided in a flurry of steel and fury, causing small cuts. Naori tried to use her tail to disarm Ren, but Ren spun around, jumped back, and began to run circles around her.

"Whoa... whoa... whoa... I'm getting dizzy, stop spinning!" Naori complained.

Ren attacked her, but Naori, still dizzy, fell to the ground, accidentally dodging the blow.

"She's dodging all the attacks very creatively," Diana said.

"No, I just think she's never fought a person before, and that's why she's moving this way," Nagi analyzed.

"To me, fighting people and monsters is the same thing," I said.

"Yes, to your walnut-sized brain."

"Be more serious, Naori!" Ren yelled at her.

"Okay!" Naori said, then took a breath. "Focus... imagine you're fighting a goblin, but a very beautiful one," she thought. "And that she likes a boy who's a magic prodigy. Okay, focus!" she told herself, then said aloud, "Okay, I'm ready."

"Good."

Naori's transformation changed. Her red-orange aura turned cyan. Her agility multiplied, but Ren parried her first attack with her dagger. In a struggle, Ren threw Naori aside. The two began to run across the field, leaping and colliding in midair.

"Ah, my clothes!" Ren exclaimed. Her top and skirt had been ripped in places.

"Sorry, Ren!"

"Never mind, let's keep going!"

They launched themselves at each other again, exchanging blows in the air. After a flurry of high-speed slashes and attacks, they pushed each other back to create distance.

"Let's finish this, Ren!" Naori shouted.

"You said it!" Ren replied, running at full speed toward her.

Their attacks collided all over the field in a blur of jumps and blows.

"This is making me dizzy," I said.

"THEY'RE SO FAST!" exclaimed Chizuru.

They both paused briefly, visibly exhausted.

"Here I go!" shouted Ren.

They launched into a stunning final attack, but at the last moment, they both landed a punch on each other's face at the same time. They fell to the ground, unable to get up.

"It's over... I don't even have the strength to get up. I'm not cut out for this," said Naori.

"Neither am I. But good fight... friend," replied Ren.

"Friend? Really?" Naori thought, before smiling. "Yes, friend."

The two of them started laughing.

"The fight has ended in a draw!" announced Mei.

"Seriously? Then we won't have to have a three-way fight," said Chizuru, relieved. "Diana, we're fighting right now!"

"Wait, what? At least get Naori and Ren off the field first."

Nagi approached Naori. "Naori, can you stand up? Lean on me."

"Sure, thanks for helping me."

"You do the same, Ren," I said.

"Sure."

"And you know, you put up a good fight. I really thought you were going to win."

Ren blushed a little. "Th-thank you."

Nagi and Naori looked at us and smiled knowingly. After we got them off the field and I started healing them, Diana and Chizuru got into position to fight.

"It's time, my dear friend. I'll defeat you quickly so I can fight Natsu."

"Whatever you say. Bring it on."

"You said it."

The two of them started running toward the center of the field, ready to see who would strike first.