Editing City Series:Volume4b Chapter 11 (section)

===Part 4===

'''Same Time

Inside the powerful turbulent air, Souichirou was slammed against the central circle’s wall and saw Aoi Hijiri standing in the distance.

She was almost entirely unharmed.

Meanwhile, his mobile shell had shattered and fallen in pieces to the ground and his coat was in tatters.

His false arms and legs had tears through them and the white internal fluid was spilling out.

“…”

–''Souichirou – Steel/Medical Tech – Multi-Take – Diagnose Wounds – Hit.

He could somehow move his body, but his prosthetics were in bad shape.

Whether or not he could move with all his strength was a real question.

“…That really isn’t a technique to let hit you.”

With that comment, he pulled his back from the wall.

The remains of the mobile shell still clinging to him finally fell to the ground.

His right knee gave out and white fluid erupted from the back of the knee.

“The lubricant is leaking,” calmly noted Hijiri. “You won’t be able to move the leg in another minute.”

Souichirou said nothing and stood in the chilly wind.

With a quiet noise from the back of his head, his eyepatch’s thread snapped.

His crushed right eye was exposed to the air.

That eye had been scratched by the ogre’s claws.

“…”

He touched the wound with his trembling hand.

There was a stiff scar there.

His lips moved unexpectedly.

“None of them would forgive me, would they?”

He clenched his fist and lightly tapped at his leg.

“Stick with me to the end, everyone.”

He began to walk.

His legs trembled, but his pace was steady.

Step by step, he quietly approached Hijiri.

The internal fluid spilled from the false leg and fell to the ground like bloodstains.

Hijiri responded with a sigh.

“You still haven’t given up? You can’t even dodge right now.”

“Dodging will not be necessary.”

He came to a stop.

He was about ten paces away from her.

That was the perfect distance for Kusanagi.

He lowered his hips, spread his legs diagonally, and stood firmly.

He was prepared for a one-hit win that rejected dodging.

“My Dance Combat style has evolved through attack,” he said.

“…Then you’re prepared to do this?”

“My obligations…allow nothing else.”

Souichirou held his Device low.

And he looked to Hijiri’s face.

He nodded.

“Allow me to show you what the ‘modified’ in Modified Purple Electricity Style means.”

“Enough bravado. You really will die.”

Instead of low, Hijiri held her hexagonal rod in front of her eyes with both hands.

She intended to block the attack with the Shinkage Style.

They were both using their specialty.

They began their preparatory breaths.

One.

Two.

“…”

On three, their breathing synchronized.

Then they stopped breathing simultaneously.

Silence fell.

They could only hear the wind and the distant impacts of another battle.

They were nearly noiseless noises.

They could not even feel the chill of winter with their surroundings so brimming with the sense of battle.

Souichirou started by speaking without disturbing his focus.

“I am Osaka Chancellor Nanba Souichirou. My Dance Combat is the Modified Purple Electricity Style.”

Hijiri responded.

“I am Tokyo Vice Chancellor Aoi Hijiri. My Dance Combat is the Shinkage Style.”

Hearing that, Souichirou nodded.

Hijiri also nodded and squeezed the hexagonal rod in her grip.

“…Now!”

Souichirou shouted back.

“Begin!”

Their movements were like a flash.

An attack raced up from below.

–''Souichirou – Kusanagi/Steel/Sword Tech – Multi-Take – Kusanagi Blast – Hit!

Wind was the first thing to race out.

The air wavered.

A shimmering rose between the two of them.

A voice followed.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

It was a simple, monosyllabic Word.

And that Word brought an explosion of air.

It flew in a straight line.

The slicing power tore up the dirt as it shot forward.

The tearing sound was like an ensemble of echoes.

The slicing wind and impact stabbed at the ground and sent it flying.

Sand flew with a roar.

But Hijiri thrust her hexagonal rod forward to block it.

If she succeeded, she would win.

Kusanagi left a large opening right after it was fired.

Even if she took some damage, crushing Kusanagi and gaining the right to attack next would be worth it.

She smiled as the impact flew toward her.

[[Image:City_v04b_411.jpg|thumb]]

“I’ll settle this!”

But it did not end there.

For some reason, she heard another yell.

“Daaaahhh!”

It was Souichirou’s voice.

He raised his Device and forcibly…

–''Souichirou – Steel/Gym/Boxing Tech – Multi-Take – Strength – Hit!

He adjusted how he held the Device and swung it up overhead.

“!”

His next movement only took an instant.

–''Souichirou – Kusanagi/Steel/Sword Tech – Multi-Take – Kusanagi Blast – Hit!

And a second voice burst out.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

It was a simple, monosyllabic Word.

This was not just a double attack.

The second attack caught up with and sliced through the first Kusanagi shockwave.

It was a straight line of spatial destruction.

By further cutting the vacuum, he created a truly empty slash that should have only existed in theory.

He had cut the cutting power of Kusanagi with Kusanagi.

The ground was stirred up as the cutting wave of destruction raced forward.

It no longer produced a sound as it flew toward Hijiri.

“!?”

The one attack hit.

The hexagonal rod broke and the power of the Shinkage Style could not fully deflect Souichirou’s attack.

A technique of intense and pure power struck her.

“————!!”

She flew through the air.

At the same time, heated internal fluid burst from all four of Souichirou’s limbs.

The Device flew from his hand and stabbed into the ground.

He fell to his knees and Hijiri collided with the ground at almost the exact same moment.

Neither of them could stand.

Their battle ended there.