Water slammed into me from every direction.
Front.
Back.
Left.
Right.
There was nowhere to run.
I barely managed to keep my balance as the formation continued attacking me from every angle. Every time I dodged one stream, another came from somewhere else.
BOOM!
The water crashed into the ground beside me.
I jumped.
Another blast came from behind.
I twisted my body just in time.
"He's barely keeping up!" Yamato shouted.
I gritted my teeth.
I need more power.
Another wave struck me.
I was thrown across the battlefield and rolled several metres before stopping.
I pushed myself up.
My arms were shaking.
My breathing was getting heavier.
I wish there was a monster here.
Then I felt something warm run down my hand.
A drop of my blood fell from my fingers.
It landed on Yamato.
Something strange happened.
The blood began glowing.
It turned completely white.
A green light surrounded its edges.
Yamato stared at it.
"What...?"
I stared too.
I didn't understand what was happening.
Then, without even thinking, I muttered:
"Nature breathing..."
The moment I said it—
CRACK!
The entire Water Formation Technique collapsed.
The water disappeared.
Yamato staggered backward.
His skin was smoking slightly from the strange energy.
He looked at his arm.
"What did you just do?"
I didn't answer.
I was staring at my own hand.
That wasn't me.
Was it?
Yamato slowly raised his hands again.
"Doesn't matter."
Energy began gathering around him.
"I've still got enough power for five more techniques."
My eyes widened.
"Five?!"
He smiled.
"Yep."
I clenched my fists.
I hadn't used that strange blood technique again.
And neither had Kaijunoo.
Then I remembered something.
Kaijunoo.
He was still inside me.
And there was something he could do that I couldn't.
Something Yamato couldn't possibly understand.
Kaijunoo could use his full power.
But there was one problem.
He only allowed me to use that power when I was fighting monsters.
And Yamato...
Was human.
I looked at Yamato.
Then at my hands.
Then back at Yamato.
An insane idea entered my mind.
If I'm not strong enough to defeat Yamato...
Then maybe Kaijunoo is.
I took a deep breath.
"KAJUNOO!"
Yamato stopped.
"What?"
I didn't even look at him.
I shouted toward the inside of my own mind.
"FIGHT ME!"
Silence.
"I NEED YOUR POWER, BAKA!"
Yamato stared at me.
"...Who are you talking to?"
I ignored him.
Then...
I heard a voice.
Calm.
Annoyed.
Almost amused.
"Meri billi, mujhpe meow?"
I froze.
A grin slowly appeared on my face.
"Yeah."
I raised my fists.
"That's exactly what I'm doing."
Yamato's expression became serious.
"What the hell are you planning?"
I looked straight at him.
"You'll find out."
Inside me, Kaijunoo laughed.
And for the first time...
I wasn't afraid of letting him out.