Maria and Kuina faced each other with absolute silence between them; neither of them made the first move as though seizing up the other.
Although neither of the two had moved, silently standing there, their auras had clashed several times, and the result was a draw.
Finally, as if they had come to a taciturn understanding, both shot forward at the same time.
In an instant, they arrived before each other and neither used weapon nor made use of an element; they clashed using pure physical.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
These exchanges ended up without a clear winner as both took their distance and observed each other again, then they burst into laughter.
''You are not bad,'' Maria commented after stopping laughing.
''That's my line. For humans, you have a strong physical, unlike beastmen who naturally has this advantage since birth; for a human girl like you to have a physical that rivalise with mine, you should be proud of it.''
Upon hearing Kuina's words, Maria had a bitter taste in her mouth as she mumbled.
''Proud, huh!"
Only she knows what she endured to possess this physical strength; However, her strong physical strength didn't show on her status window; she knew that compared to others, she trained like a madman, endured the cruelest environment to raise her physical strength not only to fight without weapon but also to have a strong body capable of enduring that ability, the most vital ability she possessed. Freya had strictly forbidden her from using it unless it was necessary; that power was a double-edged sword, used unwisely might bring harm to the body.
Maria shook her head to discard those distracting thoughts, she didn't believe that she would need to use that power in the current fight. With an inviting gesture, she beckoned Kuina to come at her, and it was what she did.
As Kuina took a step forward, flame billowed from under her feet to quickly reach her upper body before transforming into a flame spear which she used to attack Maria.
Eri's eyes widened, not only because she was surprised that Kuina was also a fire user but also because her control over the Fire element wasn't less than her. It was slightly better, which surprised Eri hailed as an exceptional genius. However, here is another person more capable than her; although jealous Eri wasn't such a narrow-minded person she was aware of saying that there's always someone bigger than you out there. If she were to encounter Gracier, she would be gobsmacked, not knowing what to say when it comes to controlling the fire element; none was exceptional as Alex's brother; it was as if she was born to control that element especially.
Kuina used the flame spear to attack Maria; the attack was simple yet extremely fast.
''Let's get serious.''
Maria murmured, and her outstretched hand clenched to form a fist emitting a frosty aura. She sent her fist forward, which clashed against the flame spear.
Boom!
An explosion occurred that swallowed Maria's body, but she paid no heed to it as she stepped forward. Kuina immediately understood what Maria was after, she tried to pull back what was left of the flame spear, but Maria moved faster. Her slightly red fist collided into the fox girl's chest.
Bang
Maria frowned upon hitting Kuina's body, the feeling she had expected wasn't there, and to confirm this the next moment, Kuina's who was hit in the stomach, had her upper body explode into a flame that scattered; Maria quickly moved her body out of the way not to get caught in the explosion that was about to follow.
Boom! Boom!
''An illusion,'' Maria murmured dejectedly; she had made everything possible not to fall under Kuina's illusion but still failed. She couldn't help but mumble.
''I still have a long way to go.''
''Don't be hard on yourself. Although you tried not to fall under my illusion, everyone has a moment of weakness; nobody is an exception; you have to find that moment, the eyes believe what it wants to believe. Before striking your opponent, the feeling of accomplishment you had because you were sure to strike can make you momentary let your guard down; I just used that moment, that's all.''
Like a teacher lecturing her student, Kuina lectured Maria after hearing her murmur.
Maria chuckled and immediately sent a kick behind her as she believed that Kuina was there; however, this kick never connected as she hit empty air; closing her eyes for a moment, she reopened them again, and it was as if she had become a completely different person.
In her outstretched hands, two crystal daggers appeared, and the moment they appeared, the atmosphere changed.
Even Eri and the shadow outside could feel it, as if she had grown a new pair of spiritual eyes capable of discerning what was real from what wasn't, Maria shouted.
''There.''
As if she had located the real location of Kuina, Maria shot forward.
Meanwhile, the real Kuina hiding somewhere chuckled when she saw Maria moving her clone; she was about to say I've got when she felt an intense chill assaulting her spine.
Maria, who appeared before her clone, her illusion believing it was her, abruptly looked in a certain direction. This direction happened to be the same direction where the real Kuina was hiding.
The chill Kuina felt intensified, especially after seeing Maria's lips curving to form a malicious before her blue eyes flashed in an ominous light.
Kuina immediately switched places with her illusion; she didn't choose.
The moment she switched place with her illusion, Kuina witnessed something that made her spine chill. The fake Kuina made from illusion looked at Maria, more precisely, at her eyes, and she was instantly reduced into an ice sculpture. If it were the real Kuina, she wouldn't have fallen so easily, but she would have paid a heavy price to get out escape Maria glaciates ability, something she couldn't bother doing this early in their fight as it would seal her defeat for sure.
''Got you!"