AN: Welcome back gentle perverts.

Another cleaned and light expanded update for you all. :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 2.5: Battling Beauties

Quick like a bunny, John searched through the rules. Kara did her best to avoid the inhumanly strong wrecking ball as the miniature Gigas rocketed around the arena. He winced slightly in sympathy as Kara was unable to avoid a powerful blow by the demented sphere. She was sent flying into the arena defense field with incredible force. Her armor protected her but a hit of that magnitude would still hurt quite a bit.

He muttered about the rules as he toggled through the pages. Finally, he got to the section about one on one matches. He was dismayed initially to discover that any action on the part of a tamer outside of issuing commands would cause a forfeit. However, a fierce sensation akin to joy began to ride within him as he discovered a part citing exclusions.

John blinked in surprise then his emotional spectrum shifted fully into his special little version of joy. He's found what might be a loop hole. He did have a legal right to intervene. A tamer who has not captured a Demi-human, and still possessed only a permit instead of a full-license, is granted leeway in initial battles. The special combat rule was described as adding to the fair play aspect since a more powerful tamer could easily take a girl from a rookie tamer. This exclusion was only in place if the battle included the starter Demi-human and the novice tamer had not acquired another.

Mollified that his desire for an order existence actually did pay off, John nodded. He looked up from the rules to see Kara get bashed roughly into the restraining wall yet again. This time she fell limply to the ground, cracks appeared in her armor showing the brutal strain it was placed under so far. Though it did not take long for her to show a bit of movement, the signs of her weakening grew by the moment. She was getting worn down, but thankfully not out, yet.

It was time to practice his trade. John took a deep breath and stilled his mind. He tried to block out the thoughts that sought to distract him. A full minute of hard-battling and near misses passed for Kara as her master found his spiritual center.

The problem was the shield. The Gigas would be relatively difficult on her own without it, but with that shield her combat power was ridiculous. Kara was tough, but definitely out matched as long as that defensive field was up.

When he reached his center John touched the core of his power. He began to recite the chant he'd developed to help him focus on the ability to sense the structure and interplay of mystical forces.

His spell complete, the man's senses snaked out to skitter along the field before him. The barrier was indeed powerful, but he could tell that no true mage created it. The construct was simple, a childish thing bereft of complexity or subterfuge. If it were a story to be told, it would be an open book written for a small child.

A field of repulsive energy derived from the owner's life force and confidence. It was a type of aura magic that was one of the most basic shielding techniques around. Most versions were crude and weak. The only difference between the Gigas' field and the typical version was that the Gigas had life force to spare due to being so much smaller than normal for her breed. For most individuals a shield of that type would only weaken damage, not stop it outright. It certainly could not be used as a weapon in its own right.

A soft chant emanated from Johns lips after his senses discovered the spiritual ties that bound the spell to the Demi-human's body and soul. He was not a powerful mage, but he was a practiced and experienced one. A shield of this caliber was nothing to him. It took him less than ten seconds to completely destroy the energy matrix of the Gigas' simplistic shield remove it from the equation.

The Gigas did not even know her shield had fallen, nor did anyone else, until she performed another heavy flying strike. Kara blinked as she received a flying body-to-body tackle instead of the wrecking ball she'd braced herself to repel.

"What the hell? Hana! What did you do to your shield?" called out Stan in shock. The sight of the two girls rolling across the arena ground, limbs flailing, was a shock to the veteran tame. There was not possible reason for her shield to cut out so quickly.

"I don't know master! It's gone! Let me call it back!" exclaimed the Demi-human in equal shock. While she did so, Kara took the opportunity to fire off a trio of plasma rounds that sent the girl staggering back. Even without her shield, she had an unholy amount of damage resistance and stamina. However, her girlish screams revealed the pain of the blows.

Kara steady rained plasma fire on the girl while slowly moving to a new position. The head was the major weak spot of a Gigas. Unfortunately, the screaming Demi-Human blocked her skull with her left arm while swatting at the air in a feeble attempt to slap away the bullets. She was strong and durable, but not nearly fast enough for that type of feat.

At her size, the weakness in her skull would be a tiny spot to hit anyway. Her plasma reaching dangerously low levels, she converted her arms back to normal hands to recharge her drive. Her twin pistols came out. Closing with the miniaturized girl would be suicidal. Weapon's fire of Kara's current arsenal truck the girl like hard punches might strike a normal person.

While Kara moved to a new position to prepare for shots at the girl's head, the Gigas was finally given the time needed to call her shield back up.

John snorted and focused on his internal energies once again. As the giantess backed away to focus on the one and only spell she knew, John unleashed a counter-spell which effectively sterilized her magically for a time. There were many names for that kind of effect. Some called it a mute spell. Others called it stilling or binding. Either way, her magic was cut off.

"I-I can't use the spell!" exclaimed Hana in shock. Her eyes went wide a brief instant before a hail of gunfire tore into her flesh. Surprisingly, the ammunition Kara now used actually drew blood. Without the precious shield, physical bullets were stronger than plasma for some reason.

"Why not?!" exclaimed Stan. This did not bode well. His Gigas was extremely fast and tough, but bullets were faster and she was not made of steel. Her natural defensive strength could withstand energy attacks better than simple bullets.

"I neutralized an unfair advantage," explained John casually.

"You cheated!" snapped Hana's master. Stan glared hatefully at the mage. The nerve of that little punk!

The referee blinked and called a temporary halt to the fight. He then called over to John. "What did you do? I registered a magical effect but the system is still analyzing it."

"I dispelled her shield then bound her magic for a time. It will probably wear off in an hour or two," replied John casually. From the way he said those words, it seemed to be the simplest thing to do in the world.

"See! He cheated!" exclaimed Tom excitedly. The idiot had actually forfeited.

"I want my Steel Valkyrie now then," said Stan with a predatory smile.

"No. The battle isn't over and I have not cheated," explained John with a satisfied smirk.

"The hell you haven't! Tamers can't interfere in official duels!" railed spiky haired Tom. The younger tamer balled his hands into angry little fists of rage.

"Under Article nineteen; section three, sub-section alpha; a tamer with only a starter Demi-human can render aid to his Demi-Human in a legitimate challenge battle as long as this aid is not considered an attack, or unless it will provide unfair advantage to his champion," said John a thin smile forming on his lips.

Before either of the men on the opposing team could complain, he continued, "I did not attack your Demi-human. I utilized effect based support magic of a non-violent nature. All of her natural abilities unique to her breed are intact. A Gigas is not classed as a primary magic wielding demi-human type with an innate shield magic spell. Loss of magic, or her magical shield, is therefore not classified as an attack," explained John smugly.

"That's bullshit! Only a coward would hide behind crap like that," snarled Tom angrily. How dare this little shit act so smug when he used such underhanded tricks!

"Says the boy who lets his daddy fight his battles for him," replied John. His words sent Tom into a rage. Stan was forced to order one of his Demi-Humans to restrain his son before the angry little shit caused a forfeit.

"One moment," said the referee. He halted the battle and the two combatants were required to return to their sides of the field. The referee consulted another veteran tamer while they looked over the rules. After a moment, they nodded in unison.

"That rule is legitimate. It was also enacted solely due to the fact that novice tamers were routinely bullied out of strong Demi-humans, whether they could use them effectively or not. It was agreed that the stronger tamer should have the stronger Demi-Human. However, it was determined that there had to be some sort of legal protection available for tamers who had yet to acquire even one field capture," ruled the referee.

Stan started to balk but the referee glances at him and clarified, "Further, his actions are not an attack. They are a legal rendering of aid under the law. The battle will continue in two minutes," ruled the referee after the system finally sorted out what John had done.

"Fine. Gerti, dispel this binding so we can get back to the battle," said Stan in annoyance. If his brows were clenched any further together the man could have turned coal to diamonds within the furrows that were formed.

"If you do that you will have to forfeit, sir," explained the referee.

"What?! How can that be a forfeit! That snail trail bound her magic. We aren't even battling now. Why can't I unbind her?" said Stan in a disbelieving snarl.

"You are a veteran tamer. The law is clear for those outside of their permit period, or who have captured a Demi-human. Also, you are currently engaged in an official battle. The wait time does not constitute the end of a previous battle, merely a rest period due to a flag thrown up for possible rules violation," explained the referee as the clock continued to tick down.

"This is complete bullshit," said Stan.

"You didn't have to challenge me, you know. I just wanted to get some lunch," explained John with a shrug. It was ridiculous in his mind. Why complain over losing an unfair advantage when the other party can legally nullify it? The Gigas was still quite powerful in her own right. Without the shield, the battle might have gone either way from the beginning of the fight.

Stan ground his teeth in annoyance but held his tongue. His battler was vulnerable now, but the match was far from over and the Steel Valkyrie was worn down heavily. Victory would surely still be his in the end.

John spoke quietly to Kara. "I would heal some of your wounds, but it would be a forfeit if I did."

"Understood," she said before nodding her head once. Her body was worn and she was certain that she'd cracked at least one rib despite her armor. However, her master already did as much for her as he could. His battle strategy was sound, but it was time for the soldier to do her part to win the day.