BornAndTorn 56 Jack Of All Trades, Master Of None 2

My main cause of concern was that my position is given away, by the experiment I am going to conduct. I should avoid the trying to melt the icicle currently, that are currently embedded in the soil. Melting those would lead to their downwards movement and that should be avoided at all cost.

The option of melting the surface was the easiest and yet the riskiest option. If I am too low the process would take too long and before I could see any effect she would have recovered all her mana. If I get too close, then the melting would go way faster, but I am quite sure, that they heated area would stick out like a sore thumb in this world of ice.

Every option using my burning hair as a direct source of heat is out of the question. Maybe I should use my hair as a medium to limit the surface area that is melting and keep my distance that way. Right now, I am fully covered in earth, but if I were to dig away the soil covering me, I would get caught immediately. Because the ice in itself is very clear and easy to see through and with a pseudo light bulb on my head and it gets a bit too easy to spot me.

Luckily my physique is not as gigantic as it used to be, so I do not need that much s.p.a.ce underneath the earth but I still have to move occasionally in order not to get pulverized. I will dig a small gap to the surface with my sharp nails and then watch what kind of reaction happens when I throw a burning hair at it.

At first, I decided to move to a different location while moving slowly to make sure I do not get noticed. After finding a suitable location, I dug a small connection between my hole and the surface, with one fingernail. The hole was just wide enough so I could see with one eye. I could eliminate any form of light leaking, by pressing my eye right into the hole.

I started the first experiment by throwing a single hair, at the ice surface and of course, nothing happened. Next, I threw a hair, that I just set ablaze right at the surface. But the first problem appeared right of the bat, the hair was not burning long enough before falling apart.

The solution to that problem was solved, by covering the hair in that wonderous slime and then before the slime can change the properties to light it on fire. The only problem I noticed after throwing it at the surface, that it was indeed burning a little too well. In fact so well, that enough Ice had melted, that I was forced to flee before the next icicles covered my former position.

I still have not a single idea, what that slime is, but its effect on combing 2 materials is pretty useful. Especially if it improves its efficiency by several times. The only disadvantage is that I have to be fast to produce them otherwise the slime will change the property of the hair and the burning effect returns to normal. I did not consider piercing my body with those hairs to apply the slime as a ha.s.sle anymore.

Even though I could melt the ice, I could not produce enough of them to be able to contend against that onslaught of ice shrapnel. It was pointless to engage in a direct confrontation if my tools are that limited in number. But for acting as a diversion, they are a perfect choice. Now I just have to think, how I can come close to her without looking like swiss cheese in the end.

As I was thinking a drop of water fell down on me and a seconds later a deep grin covered my face. That single drop answered many of my unanswered questions and the best thing, it is the key to getting close to her. Though the answer was not one drop of water, it was a bit more.

For my plan to work I need a lot of my arm hair, so I was forced to spent some time solely ripping out my arm hair. But after having gathered enough it was time to start.

I climbed on the surface and began to run as soon as possible. I did not have to wait long as the fight began once anew. Despite the constant bombardment I still have to be wary of how I dodge because she began to antic.i.p.ate my behaviour. But that kind of tendency would work in my favour.

As I was running I began to occasionally throw a burning normal hair at her. She launched a wave of her attacks as a precaution and without any suspense, the hair was destroyed in an instance. I repeated the process with 2 burning hairs but after her first experience, she did not use as much ice as before.

I repeated that process several times and she began to use just the minimal amount of ice to counter it. Occasionally I began to throw them to her feet or above her. She did not even care about those and continued to throw her spells. She had yet to get a single hit in, but she knew it was only a matter of time as she got closer and closer.

While I was jumping and running around avoiding the magic, she stood perfectly still and kept on watching me. Her current position was surrounded by icicles that would pinpoint any movement from the underground and the ice on the surface made it hard for me to close the gap.

My plan was quite simple, use normal hair to condition her that it may seem like an improvement over the other hair, but not strong enough to warrant her full attention. Next miss some hair, here and there to further increase the image that my precision is fading and to complete the trap position the improved hair all around her.

Now I just had to wait, until the last act can begin. The problem was, that I could not risk going underground again, otherwise, she would know something is up. Sadly it was unavoidable to escape this bombardment unscathed. The first small piece of ice pierced through my body without any problem. It was soon followed by numerous very small pieces that punctured me all over my body.

Not even 20 seconds since my first wound had pa.s.sed and I am already on the verge of losing, I have to stay focused. As a last resort, I could light my whole arm on fire, but that situation would not end well if I cripple myself for a moment of serenity.

If it gets through my body with ease no bone would stop it and therefore a direct hit to the skull would be fatal.

I clicked my teeth in annoyance, I have to change my plan yet again. I guess that I can kiss my nails goodbye for the rest of the fight. After embedding my fingernails into my flesh, I was forced to endure several shrapnels piercing my body. Her look had not changed even once, it did not matter what I did.

She just threw many small ice pieces at me over and over again while trying to antic.i.p.ate my movements. There was no need for fancy moves, it was the result that mattered.

After 10 seconds that felt like an eternity, it was finally time to extract my fingernails. Full of slime, I lifted my hands and lit them ablaze. There was no time for regret, as the next volley was already heading for my face.

She saw right through me, that I had been trying to guard my head as best as I could. There was no time left to think as my fingernails had moved in front of me and began cutting through all the ice. Though it was hard to move I was able to clear many ice shrapnel that would have hit me otherwise.

The ice was evaporating just coming into contact with my nails. Neither side did back down, as this standoff continued. It was getting easier by the minute as my brain got used to the task and I gained proficiency in using my nails.

Her next move would prove me wrong as her output speed had increased greatly once again, so much so that I was not even able to move from the spot as she covered my whole surroundings with her new firepower.

I began to truly despise that kind of character, who wants to test my limit over and over again. As I was desperately trying to survive this ordeal more and more wounds began to cover my body. There were so many particles flying through the air, that I just could not keep up with them and had to settle for clearing away the ones that aimed for my vitals.

I was losing blood all over the place as an unmeasurable amount of small wounds had appeared at my body. As a result of the circ.u.mstances, I missed a piece of shrapnel and it landed right in my right eye and tore right through it. I was lucky that I moved my head away by reflex. With my vision being impaired, the former slim odds of my survival plummeted.

Sensing the opportunity was right, she even increased her output once more, but this time everything was focussed on my current spot. I had no other choice, then to do a leap of faith to the right. My former position was now a deep pit.

If I had known about the extent of her power, I would never have chosen a risky strategy like that. But now that plan forces me to throw caution in the wind and get close to her at all cost if I want to get out of this alive. After ruining my nails with the constant deflection of ice shrapnel, I cannot escape by going underground anymore, because am not capable of digging fast enough with my fingers alone.

My brain went into overdrive to think of a plan. I had to cover a distance of 100 meters, that would take me approximately around 12 seconds if I were to sprint normally. I have to utilize my tools to keep her busy and to avoid as much damage as possible because I am currently getting hurt more than I can regenerate in time.

My first tool is that the burning hair, that she currently still underestimates. Using that well I might keep her busy for 3 seconds. The trap will take her by surprise and a minimum amount of 5 seconds will go to waste for her. Strange movement and my sudden offence will take some time for her to adjust as well. I did not have any time left to strategize so I decided to just gamble for the first 4 seconds. All I had to do was not die.

12 seconds 100 meters left

I chose to run an arc to not give away my plan right of the bat. While the projectiles were currently tearing through the ground behind me as if it was nonexistent. She did not yet notice the change in my behaviour and her aim is still targeted at my sides to limit my ability to dodge. I ripped out 4 hairs out of my arm and rammed them into my body as a preparation.

11 seconds 95 meter left.

My pathing returned to running straight at her. She realized that something was off and switched her attack pattern and aimed at the path in front of me. It was that thanks to my claws of my feet I was able to launch myself sideways to dodge the spell and continue running at her. At the same time, I extracted the burning hair out my stomach.

10 seconds 86 meters left

After she noticed my intention she adapted and spread her magic to create a big wall out of ice shrapnel and launched it at me. I jumped over the wall, despite being a sitting duck for the upcoming wave of attacks. In the air, I threw 3 of the prepared hair at her after it had been lit on fire.

9 seconds 76 meters left

It was the first time, a change in expression became visible on her face, she launched one very big icicle onto with a surefire grin of her face. She did not show any kind of concern for the burning hair, as she only created a thin wall of ice to counter it.

8 seconds 72 meters left

I lifted my right leg with all my might and directed it against the icicle that was bigger than me and changed its path. Although it still tore some of my flesh out of my side, I could escape the threat and land safely on the ground keeping the momentum alive. In the meantime, Laura was caught off-guard as her thin firewall was penetrated by the hair. Before she could erect another wall, the hair had already reached her body and a flame was currently spreading out on her body and robe.

7 seconds 70 meters left

A scream of anguish reached my ears, as I was das.h.i.+ng madly towards without any hesitation. The current time window was precious as I did not have to worry about any spells coming my way. In order for her not to heal herself, while I am still not close to her I enlightened my last hair and threw it at her.

6 seconds 62 meters left

She erected a thick wall of ice to prevent the hair and any other object from disturbing and preventing her from getting rid of the fire. The hair was stopped in its tracks but it fulfilled its purpose.

5 seconds 51 meters left

After Laura got rid of her robe successfully, her black tank top and shorts became visible for the first time. She could not cast ice magic to get rid of the residue flames, so she switched to water magic and began to use it to quench the fire on the rest of her clothes.

4 seconds 40 meters left

After the flames, she had been doused in were successfully extinguished. She began to look at me and to gauge the distance I had yet to cover and looked at her wounds to think about what action to take next. She decided on healing her wounds first. At the same time, I noticed that I had to speed up otherwise I would not make it in time. If she reached her full strength everything would have been for nought. I took off my right glove and launched it at her with my full force.

3 seconds 31 meters left

Laura's eyes widened in shock as she had not predicted, that I would abandon my weapon, she stopped using her magic to heal herself. But this time around it was me who was caught by surprise, I did not expect that she would just duck instead of moving to safety. With an earsplitting noise, the glove went straight through the thick ice wall and went straight over her head before flying into the distance. I ran as fast as I could towards her.

2 seconds 19 meters left

Grabbing the other glove, I was preparing to launch it through the gap I just had exposed, but she has recognized the potential danger it poses and began to erect an even thicker wall to prevent it from going through. Furthermore, her whole body language grew tense as she prepared for upcoming impact. I closed the distance as much as I could before flinging the glove at her.

1 second 7 meters left

As the collision occurred, n.o.body had expected that the glove would force its way through to her but as the noise of cras.h.i.+ng ice grew louder, the expression on her face turned a lot more cheerful and lively. She had switched to another character. But even then she was just barely able to stop the glove from reaching her by using wind magic. At this moment I had jumped over the wall and was currently flying straight at her, ready to start my a.s.sault once I am close.

She was forced to jump sideways in order to dodge my attack and prepared her next attack to hit me when I land. She had failed to realize my true intent. The ground that once had melted was frozen again. Stepping on such newly formed ice is a recipe for disaster. She began to lose balance, as she tried to land and her wind blades ended up missing.

I did not have the same trouble as her and began to safely come close to her. Arriving in front of her I am certain that the final phase of the battle has begun.