With Joihurs in hand, Shinya clashed blades with Himiko, both unleashing their full power without holding back.
Shinya's swordplay was a sight to behold, his strikes precise and powerful, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.
The ground shook as each swing of Joihurs created deep gouges in the earth, and sparks flew as his blade clashed against Himiko's.
Despite her best efforts to keep up, Himiko was steadily being pushed back by the sheer force of Shinya's attacks. The battle raged on, the air thick with tension as the two warriors fought with all their might.
Himiko retreated with lightning speed as soon as Shinya swung his sword, creating a path of destruction in its wake. She needed to regroup and collect herself, and fast.
Shinya's movements were precise and powerful, every swing of his sword destroying anything that stood in his way. He was clearly not holding back and Himiko knew that she couldn't afford to either.
"What's wrong? Are you finally realizing you're no match for me?" Shinya taunted as he closed in on her.
A small smirk crossed Himiko's face as she stepped back, "No, I just didn't want to get caught up in that".
Before Shinya could react, the earth swallowed his feet and a massive magic circle appeared above him. He looked up in confusion, wondering what was happening next.
Himiko's magic circle had not only trapped Shinya, but also activated a barrage of fiery projectiles that descended upon him like a storm of destruction.
The explosive impact of each fireball sent shockwaves throughout the area, engulfing everything in a searing inferno.
Shinya was powerless to escape the onslaught, his body pummeled by the unrelenting barrage of flames.
The sheer force of the explosions caused the ground to shake and the walls to tremble, as the intense heat and light illuminated the entire room.
"That's not enough." Himiko uttered, As she snapped her finger, a sudden burst of magical energy caused the magic circle to glow with an intense light.
From the circle, giant icicles started falling towards the ground, each one as big as a human being. The ground shook as they impacted, and a loud rumble echoed throughout the training grounds.
The icicles shattered into countless pieces as they hit the ground, creating a hailstorm of sharp, deadly shards that covered the entire area. Trees were torn down, rocks shattered, and the ground was pockmarked with deep craters.
The onslaught continued for several seconds, until finally, the magic circle flickered and disappeared, leaving behind only destruction and chaos.
As the dust cleared, the extent of the damage became clear - the entire area was littered with rubble and debris.
There was a huge hole where the ice fell to, and it was also where Shinya was standing before the attack.
Himiko stared at the gaping hole in the ground left by her attack, panting heavily from the exertion of unleashing so much magic. "Did that get him?" she muttered to herself.
But before she could make sense of what was happening, the ground erupted beneath her, and she found herself entangled in a writhing mass of red thorns. The vines lifted her high into the air, twisting and turning around her body with a malevolent energy.
Himiko struggled against the thorns, but it was no use. They held her fast, and she was unable to move as they lifted her up from the ground.
As Himiko was lifted into the air, she struggled to break free from the thorns that had wrapped themselves tightly around her body. She looked down at the hole, trying to catch a glimpse of Shinya, but there was no sign of him.
"How the hell did you survive that?" Himiko questioned, her voice shaking slightly as she tried to keep her composure.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking toward her with a slow and deliberate gait. It was Shinya, his face covered in cuts and bruises from the earlier attacks.
"You're good, I'll give you that," Shinya said, his voice cold and menacing. "But you're not good enough to defeat me".
With a flick of his wrist, the thorns tightened even further, causing Himiko to cry out in pain.
"I should have known that wasn't enough!" she shouted, struggling to break free. But it was no use - she was completely at Shinya's mercy.
Shinya's eyes glinted with triumph as he watched the vines tighten around Himiko's body, causing her to wince in pain.
"Oh no it was okay, I could have died, if not for my angel Joihurs," He said with a smile. "He can absorb all magic in a matter of minutes… so basically, your attacks were useless from the start".
He sighed, "This is it, Himiko, too bad we didn't smash before this, I was graciously looking forward to that." His grip on the vines tightened and they began to constrict even more, causing Himiko to gasp for air. Even her sword, which was stabbed into the ground, was ensnared by the red glowing thorns.
Himiko's face contorted in agony as the thorns started to drain her magic, her skin turning pale with every passing moment. "You're not going to win this war… Shinya" She managed to utter between gasps of breath.
Shinya chuckled. "I'm sorry, what was that, Himiko? I couldn't hear you over all the groaning you got going there." He laughed " Unfortunately for you, I am the strongest hero in this world. And you are nothing but a stepping stone on my path to greatness, nah, it's probably the Sato dude.. just die, I don't wanna…".
Just before Shinya could finish his sentence, Ava burst onto the scene with a fierce determination.
With a swift, fluid motion, she swung her sword, slicing through the glowing thorns that had ensnared Himiko. The thorns fell away in two neat pieces, and Himiko's body dropped heavily to the ground.
Shinya's eyes widened in surprise and anger as he turned to face Ava. "You again," he growled, his grip on Joihurs tightening. "You won't stop me this time."
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