Chapter CCCXXVIII: Heated Liquid and Heated Metal ~Naaro/Rynn

This isn't exactly the best situation I've been in so far, Kuza thought grimly. I don't wanna fight this guy, but I should get ready just in case...

With that in mind, Kuza brought his hand to the hilt of his sword and gripped it, ready to pull it out if he was attacked.

This was, however, the wrong course of action to take. He's going for his weapon! thought Naaro as he saw Kuza's hand grip the hilt. "I don't think so!" he shouted, and he then proceeded to swing one of his tonfers at Kuza.

Kuza dodged swiftly and removed his hilt from its position of storage, igniting the liquid blade of his sword. Looks like the time for negotiation has passed...gotta fight him for now!

Kuza swung his liquid sword horizontally at Naaro. Naaro jumped back, but the chest area of his shirt was cut and singed.

"Naaro!" cried Rynn. She couldn't stand the thought of Naaro getting hurt just as she got back to him.

Naaro looked down at his shirt. He cut me...but how?

Rynn and Kai watched attentively, Kai's blue eyes big as they watched their father in battle.

Naaro performed a roundhouse, his leg swinging quickly toward Kuza's head. Kuza ducked and tapped the flat part of his sword on the back of Naaro's leg.

"AAGH!" Naaro cried, the sword's heat aura leaving a painful burn.

He glanced down at the back of his leg and saw the burn. His liquid sword must have a heat aura, Naaro realized.

He looked to Kuza with renewed confidence. "A heat aura, eh? Interesting...but let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine! SUPERHEAT!!"

With those words, Naaro clenched his tonfers tightly and began to channel heat energy into them. They soon turned red-hot and developing an orangish aura, a sign of the immense heat radiating through the metal.

Kuza took note of this ability. He can channel heat... Kuza prepared himself for the coming assault.

"HYAHH!!" Naaro cried as he charged Kuza once more, swinging his tonfers at the Anjel's head.

Kuza successfully dodged the first, but the second struck him squarely in the cheek. Kuza cried out as his cheek felt the sizzle and sting of the burn in conjunction with the pure impact of the tonfer.

"Gotcha," Naaro remarked, smiling as he backed off to avoid retaliation.

Kuza growled inwardly at this injury. Not cool, he thought as he prepared to counterattack.

He then brought his sword down over Naaro's head. Naaro barely dodged the blade only to take a throwing dagger in the arm.

"NO! Stop this, please!" Rynn pleaded. Naaro and Kuza looked at her, Naaro's face showing a bit of pain from the throwing dagger

"Rynn, I'd love to," Naaro began, "but this guy is going to do some serious damage if I don't stop him here and now. I'm protecting everyone he–"

"I can't continue this fight," Kuza interrupted.

He diffused the blade of his liquid sword and put it away. Naaro looked at him.

"I never meant to fight you in the first place," Kuza added.

Naaro diffused the superheat aura around his tonfers, but did not put them away. "Wouldn't that be disobeying the orders of the scumbag that sent you?" he snapped.

Kuza shook his head. "No scumbag sent me...I was teleported here. This pink-haired, noseless woman had me in a real tight spot and this voice spoke to me, asking if I wanted a way out of the mess I was in. I accepted, and the owner of the voice teleported me here."

Naaro put away his tonfers. "Alright, I'll take that," he somewhat reluctantly said.

Kuza gave a nod. Naaro returned it, and turned to Rynn. "Well, let's go over to Lich's hut...you can tell me what's happened to you and I'll tell you what's happened to me."

Rynn nodded, and walked toward the tent with Naaro.

Well, guess it's time to get going, Kuza thought, looking to the nearest exit to the village. He started to walk away as Naaro spoke.

"Hey..."

"Kuza," Kuza replied, assuming that Naaro meant for him to give his name.

"Kuza, you may as well come with us." Naaro looked to Hl'garng. "He's alright...not a threat to us."

Hl'garng nodded, though he was a bit confused, and Kuza joined Naaro and Rynn as they entered Lich's hut to recount their previous adventures.