Tarim's blow had more of an impact than I imagined.
Guh! A dull sound echoed deep within my abdomen, and it felt like I was about to lift off the ground. A direct hit to the body. Then, an elbow struck down from above like an axe.
I crossed my arms to block it, but it felt like he could shatter both my arms with that blow alone.
A shock traveled from my shoulder to the soles of my feet. The ground shattered radially, and my feet sank into the asphalt.
"Ah! Excellent! Excellent! What hardness! What toughness!"
Tarim exclaimed with joy and continued to punch me as if he still wasn't satisfied. He didn't have much technique, but with each punch, the power of his fists increased, and the impact became heavier.
This guy's magic is seriously dangerous. To pierce through 'My True Name' like this, it takes tremendous power.
However, I didn't fall. I couldn't avoid his attacks, but I could defend against them, and with the technique to convert the impact, I wouldn't be fatally wounded even when taking a hit.
I slightly shifted my axis to a point where he couldn't tell that I was evading, and I twisted my body to go along with the impact. Unless it was a hit that struck at my core, I wouldn't fall.
But Tarim must have noticed that too. He looked at his own fists with a puzzled expression.
"It's strange. It's hard, but it feels somewhat... weak."
"If your fists feel light, it's because they are."
If this guy had more experience in combat, he would have immediately noticed the anomaly. I wished I had a bit more time.
"Is that so? Even so, it's still light."
Tarim closed his fists and smiled.
"In that case, shall I change it a bit?"
He didn't waste any time. Arms that had been growing on his back and a single arm twisted together to form one giant arm. His tail acted like an anchor, piercing the ground to stabilize his body. Furthermore, his arm bulged, and tubes resembling exhaust pipes protruded from his elbow. Something seemed to be burning inside his arm, and smoke seeped out from the gaps in his muscles.
What's he planning to do?
"Speaking of guns, the weapon that Guardian had. Since there's something similar in this world, I decided to examine its structure. Accelerating with the power of explosives, it's quite interesting."
His words sent a shiver down my spine. There's no way he――
"Myriad Transformations (Konsēbanka), with this, it should go through. It would be much appreciated if you didn't die."
As Tarim laughed, he clenched his arm. A tremendous amount of heat emanated from his arm, and not only smoke but also light leaked out.
...This might be a little troublesome.
"Myriad Transformations — 'Explosive War Hammer.'"
Tarim's arm exploded. Or, at least it looked like it did. Brilliant flames overflowed from every part of his arm, and from the exhaust port created at the elbow, a fist propelled at a speed far beyond that of a bullet due to the force of the explosion.
With a bang! the noise of the fist piercing my defended arm, or perhaps the sound of Tarim's arm exploding? I couldn't even tell which one I heard first anymore.
"Ngh, guh!"
The armor creaks and bends, the bones in my arms scream. It's beyond just absorbing the impact. Organs are crushed, and blood wells up in my throat.
I try to leap back with all my strength to lessen the force, but the moment of impact is excruciating. The night scenery rushes forward at a tremendous speed, and in less than a second, I collide with the sanctuary erected by Lisha.
"Yusuke-san!?"
...Ugh!
No time to answer to Lisha's voice.
Because Tarim had already kicked the ground, approaching me with the force of a cannonball.
Damn it, this guy. If I keep taking hits like that in succession, my body won't hold up.
I hurriedly circulated magic power and reinforced my armor. If he's coming at me with the power to penetrate "My True Name," then I'll just have to create armor that can withstand it.
Emerald-colored magic power surged violently through my entire body, causing geometric patterns to emerge on the silver surface.
Immediately after, Tarim arrived.
He stored heat in his right arm again and looked down at me with the eyes in his mouth. What I saw in those eyes was pure delight. He seemed to have forgotten about the War, completely absorbed in the sensation of becoming stronger.
"Explosive War Hammer"
This time, it was a blow from above, aimed at my face.
A fist descended like a meteor, leaving behind a trail of flames. I felt a terrifying pressure as I once again received it with both arms.
Unlike before, I couldn't jump backward to cushion the impact, and the vicious shock ran through my entire body. Unable to endure it, the muscles in my arms and legs tore, and my internal organs bounced around.
Behind me, the sanctuary groaned, the atmosphere burst, and the ground shattered, sending fragments flying.
"Ugh...!"
Even after reinforcing my armor in advance, this attack was even more powerful, much heavier than the previous one.
I didn't want to think about it, but the more I endured, the stronger Tarim's attacks would become.
"Shyaahhhhhhhhh!"
With Tarim's fierce determination, my exposed torso was slashed by the tail, now transformed into a snake sword. A sharp collision echoed as I felt the pain as if my torso had been split in two.
Thrown through the air again by the tail, I managed to readjust my posture and land on the ground, but when I looked up, Tarim had already closed the distance.
Four arms were raised—each equipped to fire 'Explosive War Hammer.'
I see, if one shot won't kill me, then he plans to fire continuously.
Damn it.
"Here I gooooo!"
Before I could even curse, a storm of rapid punches rained down on me. I briefly considered escaping after taking one hit, but I knew that he wouldn't miss a chance to strike from the opposite direction.
Inside my body, impacts collided, and the noise reverberated. It felt like bombs were detonating internally.
"Yuuuusuke-san! Now, the sanctuary—"
"'Stop it, Lisha! Keep the sanctuary up!'"
I yelled in response to Lisha's tearful voice. She probably tried to create a sanctuary around me, but if she did that, I had no idea what Tarim might do.
Maybe he would focus on breaking the sanctuary, or he might kill someone for breaking the agreement.
So, I had no choice but to endure it. I strengthened my already trembling knees, channeled magic power through my body, and held on.
The opportunity for a counterattack would come eventually. I just had to wait for it.
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