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Tsuurugi looked up at the floating behemoth before him and watched as it reared back before throwing its mouth wide open and letting loose a stream of ice no doubt meant to freeze him. Be it to death or simply encase him in ice...that he could not tell since it was possible for either to happen. However, he would amuse her and himself just a bit in how he countered her attack. It had been a while since he'd done this, but his speed hadn't dimished over the years.

Drawing the current blade he held in his hand, Tsuurugi leveled to where the tip was pointing at Sora like he was aiming it at her. Which was partly true, but not in the sense that he was going to throw the blade at her. No, that would simply be a waste, despite the he could do so and effectively block her attack. No, it would be a waste of a good surprise move. What he was going to do was far more effective in both counter-measure and skill. Just as the cone of ice reached the tip of his sword, Tsuurugi then suddenly went into a flurry of motion to the point where it looked like his arm was a blur of lines before he threw his arm to the side in a cascading shower of sparkling ice shards while his single visible eye stared out straight ahead before he cocked his head up to look at her. He cocked his head in a way to ask without words if that was all she had. And the unimplied remark would have been that he was sorely disappointed and getting bored fast.

Flicking his sword and sending stray shards of ice flying off the edge of his sword, Tsuurugi then sheathed the sword since fighting a dragon with a sword at his level would have been tantamount to murder. Fighting bare-handed would at least give Sora a fighting chance. Although, some say he is better bare-handed. Adopting a basic tai-jitsu stance, Tsuurugi then gave the semi-derogatory gesture of "come get me". If Sora cared to take notice, she might sense a slow build-up of power starting to take place within Tsuurugi...a sign that something big was going to happen.

While some sort of another ice-based attack was expected, he did not expect her to change the landscape with said attack. Not that it was out of his ability to handle...just not totally expected. However, he was going to make the build-up of power a bit more visible and somewhat flashier. Shifting back his stance to where one foot was behind him while the other forward, Tsuurugi then drew his arms to his sides and had each hand up from where his arms met his sides at the elbow with the hands like semi-closed claws. Then, what minute layers of ice remained on his body suddenly exploded from his body as the ground about him began to crack and splinter with shards very slowly rising into the air. And the ones that rose began to dance around him in a double helix sort of way as the cracks and splinters deepened and widened as the presence of power continued to rise. Then, in a sudden flare, the shards burst away from him with an explosive bang that tore through the pillars and such around him. Causing said pillars and such to explode halfway up the middle and topple over while other simply exploded. Tsuurugi then straightened up before letting his arms hang loose while a semi-palpable aura glowed with the barest visibility around his body like a halo of light. He then looked up at her and his one visible eye seemed to glow slightly as if to show the power he was wielding at the moment. And this was not even close to his full strength...not by a mile. Also, if anyone decided to take notice, they'd see Tsuurugi floating above the crater he created when he released the small build-up of power.

"Impressive, Sora. If your opponent was anyone else but myself...they'd be at a serious disadvantage right now. That is not saying I'm not affected by this because I am, but probably not as much as you were expecting. At this rate, the situation is both in your favor and not. The terrain along with its elemental affinity gives you the advantage in regards to your racial affinity. As for the disadvantage...it was assuming that I'm without my own response to such situations, even when not using a bladed weapon. Now, to continue..."

With that, Tsuurugi leaned forward before suddenly dashing forward and leaving behind a furrough in the ground to prove just how fast he was moving. When he was a few dozen meters away from Sora, Tsuurugi slammed the ground in an earthshaking impact before letting himself get launched into the air and right behind an over-blown, hanging icicle. Then, in a burst of speed, Tsuurugi flung himself in mid-air in a 180 degree arc. Effectively striking the breaking point of the massive piece of ice and having it break away from the root before finishing the arc with another 180 degrees and striking it to send it razor-sharp point first screaming at Sora. Tsuurugi then stood where he was in mid-air, waiting to see how she would respond.

Tsuurugi kept a close watch on Sora, shaking his head when he saw her reaction after she'd blocked his half-hearted attack. Either she was very sentimental about her "landscaping" or she was just nuts. No one in their right mind would give a damn about the shape of the land in a fight when all one was supposed to do was concentrate upon defeating their opponent. Now was as good as any time to show her that unless she was going to take this seriously, he would do his very best to end her life. Seemingly going limp in mid-air, Tsuurugi then threw his body back as a whiplash of energy ripped through the air as he released a roar of rage which was in turned followed by a pillar of crimson-black energy forming below him and then engulfing him before striking the ceiling and conforming to it while it continued to rage. The blizzard that Sora was creating continued to run unabated around him but turned to steam and then evaporated completely when coming within a few meters of Tsuurugi. Then there was a sudden, blinding flash of light deep from within that twister of energy which in turn caused it to bulge out before erupting in waves that blew back Sora's blizzard to reveal Tsuurugi's new form. One of many that he possessed, this current one was one of the weakest ones...but still probably more than enough to handle Sora's true form. Looking down at his clawed hands, Tsuurugi flexed them a bit before returning his now shrouded gaze to Sora. A deeper, more resonating voice that sounded as if was from another world reached out to touch her.

"Sora...so very foolish. Do you think that by merely altering the climate and change a few weather patterns that you'd be able to take me down? Come now, I told you I wanted your best...and this feels like it's lacking to me. If you wish to pursue this foolish course of action, I will not stop you. However, I will warn you that I will do my utmost to kill you...or as much so as the wards allow before your true death. Now, come..."

With that said, Tsuurugi continued to hover where he was before he suddenly began to make motions with his hands. At first, they seemed uncordinated and to have no meaning, but soon...the evidence of what they were meant to create became clear. Tsuurugi began summoning one of this form's more powerful techniques, Flame Purge. He then unleahed it upon Sora.