Saikō no Chitsujo

Chapter 8: Part II

So this is him, I admit he gives just as much pressure as Hijiri-san, just how are we supposed to hold him here?! The lightning user clasped his palms, white arcs surrounding them.
"What are we going to do?! This wasn't supposed to happen!" The water user complained, nervously holding onto his ring.
"There's nothing we can do, we can't let the empire get the edge." The lightning imperial arms user grit his teeth, his gaze never leaving Arata.

Noting the movement in the tree line, Arata frowned. "Roland-san. It seems you will need to return to the town."
Glancing from Arata to the others hidden in the forest Roland nodded. "Very well Arata-sama." He turned around, sprinting at an inhumane speed.

Twirling his scythe, Arata pointed it at the duo before him. "You will have to forgive my rudeness but I will not display my true power before you as I do not wish you dead, not yet at least."
The lightning user growled, summoning two orbs in his palms. "The only problem we'll have with him would be his speed, so surround him and at least slow him down."

"I find that insulting, you pathetic worms. You really think that my speed is all you have to fear?" Arata laughed menacingly, lunging forward. Spinning midway and swinging his scythe in a wide arc at the group that sprinted out of the forest, a trail of blood trailed the blade. Dematerializing the scythe, Arata held the palms of the lightning user, crushing the orbs as well as his hands with sheer strength. "Is this supposed to be an imitation of Adramelech?" Arata paused, glancing down at the thin threads that found their way around his wrists and torso.
"Now!" The man yelled, clutching Arata's hands tighter with his broken palms.
Trump card: Kettōsan. Several threads held unto Arata as the water user closed the distance, a large blood blade in his bloodied palm.

Arata ran forward, flipping over as he swung the blade, severing his comrade and the threads attached to him. "I heard the revolutionary army had gotten ahold of that imperial arm but to think it would be used here." Arata turned and swung the butt of the scythe, slamming it right into his jaw.

The water user groaned, raising his arms to summon another blood weapon. Soft thuds attracted him as he saw both of his hands on the ground, a bloody stump left behind on his arm. "You are quite noisy, do tell me what I wish to know and I will not let you die from blood loss." Arata said quietly as he ignored his painful screams, crouching before him and summoning air barriers to prevent blood from spilling out of the stomps.

Picking the hand with the ring on it, Arata stated. "The pressurized air shielding your wounds will eventually start to shred and destroy your arm, so the earlier you talk, the better for you. Who exactly are you?"

Gritting his teeth, the water user glared at Arata, the occasional fearful shudder running through him. Muffled sounds caught Arata's attention as the final three in the group sprinted at him. Splitting in three paths, one charged at Arata, the other two running past both sides of him, their threads grabbing hold of his limbs.

He looked from one to the other, opening his palm and materializing his scythe in it. "If I put down two of you, I wonder if the other two would be more willing to talk." Arata spun his blade, the threads falling harmlessly to the ground.

Arata raced at the assassin before him, turning and swinging horizontally to clash with his daggers.

It's heavy! Arata's opponent grunted, barely deflecting the blunt end of the scythe. Another blow came right after, knocking him off balance.
Spinning, Arata slammed the blunt end of the scythe into his torso, knocking the wind out of him. The assassin stumbled forward, steadying himself as he tiredly resumed his stance.
Is he purposefully using the blunt end of his weapon?! Why?! He glowered at Arata, his eyes brightening up as two of his associates leapt at the blue-haired scythe wielder, weapons drawn.