The Dream Shifter

Chapter 235

The metallic taste of her blood came as new sensation for her, but she did not have time to understand it thoroughly. Seiji pressed the attack coming at her with faster punches. She backed away from him only for him to close again. Her armor kept her from taking serious damage, but she felt it tearing at her limbs. Pieces of his strength made it through to her.

Seiji pressed her back, but failed to make a clean connect on her. He changed up his pattern and dug his foot through the earth bringing up large chunks of earth that battered her. However, it was only a screen for him. Seiji rammed his fist through the debris he created. Nerine already instinctively had her arms up to block, but did not expect the force coming through at her. She went flying backwards.

He gave chase to her and caught her while still in flight. His fist stretched out to deliver a finishing blow. Nerine managed enough clarity to block with a thick weapon. Jets blasted out from her weapons stopping her body, but Seiji momentum carried through to her slowly pushing her. His fist pressed against the thick metal warping it.

Nerine caught the taste of surprise from the force that he applied managing to counter the thrust of her weapon. 'He's smashing my weapon! I can't let it…' The weapon suddenly repaired itself while his fist tried to crush it. Seiji did not stop with the change and continued to apply his strength breaking down the armor again. It repaired itself again, the cycle repeating.

In the end, Seiji threw her off him and slid to the ground with his speed in flight no longer countering her thrust. She came to a quick stop. Her hand wiped off the blood that dripped from her lips. They stared off at each other.

Seiji smirked feeling satisfied with the fight. "You're impressive. I might have to reconsider my code."

Nerine found herself grinning a little, not immediately recognizing it herself. She did not feel the uncertainty or doubt anymore. It all disappeared while she fought him. He did not see her as she saw herself, but just another person to fight. It felt oddly comfortable for her. She wanted to see what more he had to offer and test it against her own. "I might still make you regret that thought."

"Oh?"

A glow came from Nerine's body completely masking her uniform. The weapon on her arms disappeared along with all of the weapons in the field. "I've never done this before for anyone. You'll be the first to see my final battle form!"

Nerine found herself grinning a little, not immediately recognizing it herself. She did not feel the uncertainty or doubt anymore. It all disappeared while she fought him. He did not see her as she saw herself, but just another person to fight. It felt oddly comfortable for her. She wanted to see what more he had to offer and test it against her own. "I might still make you regret that thought."

"Oh?"

A glow came from Nerine's body completely masking her uniform. The weapon on her arms disappeared along with all of the weapons in the field. "I've never done this before for anyone. You'll be the first to see my final battle form!"

As one would expect from Seiji, the battle crazed, a wide eager smile of excitement grew across his face. "I like the sound of that!" He pounded his fists together working himself up. The fight turned out to be a lot more than hoped for and it only got better, in his mind. This fight more than made up for how annoying his last fight was.

She never showed her true form to anyone since she never had a need for it. Training never required it and service made it even more pointless. She hardly had any practice using it. The strain that she put on her body while in it worried her. Nerine did not know how long she could keep up with it. She knew that she needed to compete with Seiji, but it carried heavy risks for her.

However, even amongst the worry her body felt calm and at ease. The bruises and wounds that she took gave her no sign of pain. She felt ready for it, even wanting it. 'It's a strange feeling doing this… I don't get the same feeling from the start of the fight…'

The light faded away revealing Nerine's final form. A new outfit replaced her Atlantean uniform, which received extensive damage. Her new cloths left her barefoot in close fitting dark purple pants with a matching shirt. Over top, a tanned brown vest kept the shirt from a loose hold on her figure. A white waistcloth closed the seam between pants and shirt, while also matching the wrapped strips of cloth that tied down at the ends of her limbs.

Her empty field no longer held any weapons. She looked more exposed then before, but a new light gathered at her legs and arms. Metal enclosed her limbs completely until only her vest and waistcloth remained. The metal ran completely smooth with a simply design that did not try to appear flashy. Engravings lined the metal along the wrist and ankles. A strong sturdy presence came from them in their simplicity. They were meant for nothing but combat with no elegance.

Nerine held up her hands sliding into an offensive stance. "I'm ready."

"Let's see what it can do!" Seiji charged forward with his fists raised to begin the first attack.

Seiji's fists met with a column of flame in front of him. His fist only made it part way in before he stopped. It left his skin slightly burned, but it gave the distraction that Nerine needed. She appeared around at this side just after he pulled back. Her fist stretched out leveling out a crushing blow. Seiji's cheek took the hit and spun him through the air.

Jetting with the thrust of her weapons, Nerine charged forward after Seiji to keep up the assault. However, Seiji righted his body and slammed into the earth throwing back debris from his feet. He sprinted off not allowing even the rocks time to settle. His arm raised up taking the blow from Nerine's next punch. The impact sliced a shockwave that tore up the earth between them and threw up the chunks into the air.

Nerine's fist rattled against Seiji's forearm for a few moments. She then brought in her other fist to punch through his open side. Not taking the defensive block, Seiji dodged a little and grabbed her arm. It took her by surprise, but she quickly responded with a kick at him. He did not wait for her leg as he threw her away.

He jumped off from the ground crashing through the careless cast aside debris towards his target. Seiji extended his arm going for quick punch through her defenseless body. His punch did not fully make it in before she spun around in the air kicking Seiji in the head. Whether stubborn or through momentum, Seiji's body did not budge from the hit. Nerine followed it up with another, spinning around to bring her foot down from above. The crash blew out wind that sent the debris flying into projectiles that cratered the ground hundreds of meters away.

Seiji took the kick and sped down to the ground from the force. When the earth came up to him, he landed in a knelt position. He still managed to crater the area throwing up chunks of rock again. His head tilted up to see Nerine shooting herself down with her leg extended. Seiji braced him for the impact, but caught water as Nerine spun downward. Immediately behind the water, flames burst out casting steam through the area.

The steam created a fog like mist that made it too thick for Seiji to see through. Nerine took advantage of the poor visibility and leashed a powerful array of blows. Each impact blew out parts of the mist until nothing remained to hide Seiji.

She jumped back to measure him up after her assault. 'He's still holding strong, but it looks like I'm hurting him.'

While Seiji held no serious injuries, his body dripped with blood. His face had blood dripping from both sides of his lips and a long stream down the side of his face. Bruises lined the muscles of his chest and arms where he took hits. Only his endurance kept him from collapsing from the attacks. Seiji felt a little heavy on breath, but still grinned. "Hell yeah! I'm feeling those punches nicely!"

Nerine still felt a little confused by his overly eager sense of battle. Her head tilted a little. "You're taking this with unusual amount of excitement for a fight. Don't you have any anger?"

"Why should I feel angry when I've got such a fun fight? There's nothing better than exchanging blows with a worthy opponent and seeing how far you can push your limits!"

"I'm not sure I understand that those feelings. Especially for someone that's supposed to be a rebel."

"Don't sweat the small stuff. Let's just enjoy the fight and see who's standing at the end!" Seiji grinned at her wanting to resume the fight.

The infectious nature of Seiji enthusiasm caught on to Nerine more than she realized. She caught herself smiling again. "I'll admit I'm curious as well."

"Well let's not let talking slow us down!"

"Agreed."