“I have been searching for you, Xashu Cougar,” Ozyri Tori breathed. “And to find you with Zu Mari, what spectacular fortune smiles on me today. I can kill you both as many times as it takes to satisfy me.” He laughed and dove at them, his body seeming to glow with constrained power.

Xashu stepped back in surprise as their two powerful presences clashed. “So strong!” Xashu gasped, as he was forced to his knees by the pure pressure exuded by Ozyri. “How? A month ago you were so weak.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I slew a Divine Spirit Beast. Within its core I found deep secrets to advancement formerly impossible to me! You were fools to turn me away. I could have been among your greatest assets. Now, I am your death.”

Though he had fought Xashu many times in the past, this time Xashu had saved him from the demon tree and Zu was feeling kindly toward him. Zu sprang to his helpless ally’s defense. “Not today, Ozyri Tori! I, Zu Mari, will not let you harm a hair on Xashu’s head!”

“HAH, you imagine yourself strong? Even I know the Mari clan is good for nothing and has no experts worth recognizing. Stand aside, boy. I will deal with you afterward.”

“I will not stand aside.”

Zu felt the sudden imposition of Ozyri’s presence, the heaviness of his expanding focus as it bore down upon him, and he struggled to stay upright. But his phoenix aided him, burning brilliantly into the air around him, and that allowed him to withstand even the full weight of Ozyri’s attention.

But even that would not last forever. He felt the weight of Ozyri’s spirit as it strove against the phoenix, and knew that it would not hold out for more than a few more minutes.

He had to defeat Ozyri quickly. His previous clash had revealed that Ozyri’s weakness was sudden and surprising attacks, while he had the power to force his way through once he knew there was a danger.

Ozyri knew not to underestimate Zu now and his aura emanated a presence of dire portents, foretelling Zu’s demise again and again.

Zu firmed his resolve and formed the signs for Mirror of Soul. His only hope was to turn Ozyri’s attacks back against him.

Ozyri failed to recognize Zu’s stance and sent forth a barrage of icy spikes that Zu knew as Frozen Waterfall Strikes From Above. He’d never learned the ability himself, but he knew it was one which would pierce through his Mirror of Soul with sheer quantity. Swiftly he shifted his technique, transitioning to Flowing Flowers In A Winter Stream.

Zu spun and lashed out with his open hands to counter the barrage of attacks. The power of the sun bent around him, melting the spikes as they neared him enough to turn them slippery, then he smote the Frozen Waterfall Strikes out of the air in a blur of motion.

Not one reached past his defenses.

His distraction had given Xashu time to retrieve his whip, which he snapped now in an arc which lashed across Ozyri’s back, imparting its deadly power.

Ozyri spun on Xashu, and Zu hurled Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death straight at his heart as he turned away. Light Spirit Lifting and Brilliant Flame only worked on spells, but Winter Wind was a spell that changed the power of a technique.

By using the three in quick succession - Winter Wind, then Light Spirit Lifting, then Brilliant Flame - Zu turned Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death into a true-flying flaming blade that could not help but strike his foe. Even with Zu’s spirit enforcing the magic surrounding the blade, it glowed with its sinister purple aura, hungry and eager.

Ozyri caught Xashu’s whip in one hand and yanked, dragging the larger man forward in a stumble as Xashu failed to resist the force of Ozyri’s strength.

Ozyri didn’t see Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death coming until it was too late. The blade slammed home between his shoulder blades, its tip emerging from his chest.

Zu leapt forward as Ozyri’s domineering presence faltered. He withdrew Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death in a triumphant sweep and—

Zu Mari stumbled forward, the world behind him frozen like a painting in amber.

“AAAARGHH!!” Zu screamed his fury to the sky. “He’s so strong, I can barely win. How am I supposed to win so thoroughly that he can’t suicide and I don’t accidentally kill him?”

“Maybe start with not throwing me at him?” the sword suggested.

“I don’t know any subduing techniques,” Zu growled. “All my family is good for is concealment and destruction.”

Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death remained silent a moment, then, “Zu… is the Mari clan a family of assassins?”

“What? No, why would you think that? We are noble and mighty, reclusive and self-sufficient… wrongfully hated by the outside world…” Zu’s voice slowed as he got through the list, and frowned. “Our secret techniques are for concealment and death,” he said again, more contemplatively. “I will have to ask Grandfather next time I’m at home. Or read one of those dull histories.”

Zu made a face. He’d memorized every technique he could find in the library, but histories he skimmed through or skipped over entirely. Zu Mari was powerful and mighty, not scholarly and studious.

“Spear,” reminded Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death, but Zu was already moving to deflect the incoming attack from Xashu almost as an afterthought.

“If I cannot defeat Ozyri without killing him,” Zu decided at last, “then I will have to recruit someone who can.”

“You will approach Xashu Cougar?” asked Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death.

“Nope,” Zu said with a determined grimace. “Xashu is too weak. I’m going to recruit the Demonic Prune Tree, Alahira Inferna!”