The punch wasn't that powerful and it didn't hurt as much. But I guess that was just a warning. I calmed my breathing and confirmed all the particles I was releasing. I also started using X-rays. Maybe it was a bit harmful for Marg to be this close, but I didn't have a choice.

I was actually using a lot more powers than necessary. Seeing those bones of her was kind of a turn-off: she was rather healthy though. Oh well.

I had both my saber and sword ready. Marg was just two meters away. 'Should I rush her?' She could just teleport and that was a big problem. As a last resort, she could also teleport people without touching them, meaning she had plenty of cards. Besides, I still didn't know the full depth of her powers.

"Your answers?" But instead of doing anything, Marg started talking.

I actually didn't have time to think about them. Actually, through all this stuff I might have even forgotten some of the questions.

"You want them right now?"

'Pretty please don't.'

"Wasn't this the reason you wanted to fight me?"

'How the hell did you know that?'

I cleared my throat and went for the best possible cheat answer. "I love you."

"I see." She closed her eyes, opened them, and glared. "I believe you but- I don't love you. So sorry, I couldn't reciprocate your feelings." Yeah, she didn't look sorry one bit.

I sighed and gripped my sword tight. "It's okay, no sorry necessary. I'll wait." I'd already made that decision anyway.

It's not like I was dependent on sex or any of that. I wasn't some monster craving girls either. I just wanted Marg to be by my side. It was strange, what started as just a wish to take responsibility gradually changed to many different things. The more I thought about it, the more things changed. Perhaps I was being crazy, perhaps I was just being a bit stupid but, I didn't really mind waiting.

"You don't understand-" She disappeared and reappeared just behind me. "You won't ever see me again," She whispered.

I swung back but she was gone.

What the hell was happening? My particles weren't picking up anything and even with X-ray vision, I wasn't seeing anything. It wasn't like she was vanishing or turning invisible. And even if she teleported, I could just trace where she'd be the moment she reappeared.

But it wasn't working. I couldn't trace her at all. Was it possible this wasn't teleportation?

Then what?

"Why won't I see you again? I don't know if you know this or not, but I'll fight that whole family of monsters for you." I looked around. "Even your family-"

"That's a very bold claim." A swing came from my right. My body reacted on its own and I barely dodged the swing. "Can you back that up?"

Marg's voice was cold, awfully cold.

"We'll have to see." I grinned and swung too.

A complete miss. She was gone again.

This just wasn't good. Not only could I not trace her, I couldn't attack her either.

I was a sitting duck for her to strike, and she didn't disappoint.

Argh!

I had to jump forward to escape but, it still connected. She'd sliced me from behind: the pain was real. She wasn't playing around, no.

I didn't know why but my body was very reactive today. The painkiller was working pretty well but even with the numbing agent, the pain was real. But my senses were faster than usual, though it should have been duller.

Something just wasn't right.

I didn't have time to worry about it though.

The wound wasn't that deep and though I was bleeding I didn't need immediate attention.

"I could have just ended this the moment this fight started. But- if I don't make my point to you, you won't understand."

"What point?" I surveyed my surroundings. She wasn't here.

Just what the hell was she doing? How come nothing was working? But whatever this was, this definitely wasn't teleportation.

Was there something else that could make my senses fail? Some sort of barrier of her own? No, that would have been ridiculous. But not implausible, no.

Could she erase her presence to such an extent that I wouldn't have been able to trace her? It was definitely plausible but not very practical since I had my particles.

Wait, she could actually go to another dimension. But still, the moment she'd reappear, I'd know.

I was out of ideas.

"That you're not good enough." The voice again came from my behind.

I turned with blazing speeds- but- it was too late.

She wasn't there, but I could feel it in my bones where she was.

It was just too late.

Arghh! Blood leaked.

Another slash…. This was bad, I was losing blood fast… this was really bad. And the wound was pretty deep, enough to almost scratch my spine. I might have escaped by a hairsbreadth.

There probably was a freaking cross mark on my back right about now. It hurt so bad!

And not to mention my vision got seriously blurry. I was about to faint.

I guess all these wounds and the fatigue really did a number on me.

"Why are you still smiling?"

"I don't know. This feels so surreal." It really was. I never expected Marg of all people to push me this far. I never thought she'd talk trash like this either. But what she said weren't complete lies. I knew I wasn't good enough.

That was why I wanted to be.

I stumbled and almost fell on my knees. But I didn't. I used the sword as footing.

'This is what happens when you rely on emotions rather than intelligence.'

The shadow was going through his monologues again. He just had to choose this time.

'And you even got rejected. Not once, but thrice. What a pity you are.'

And he was being awfully talking too.

His words stung, they really did.

But they also made me remember certain things. I took a deep breath and stood straight. "You are strong Marg. You really are. And I really don't know anything about you or your powers: but that's why I want to know more. I don't know if I can win against the Battlesuins either. I really don't. But the fact that I love you won't change. And I won't hand you over to some scum from that family. NO!" I took a deeper breath and stood tall.

My body burned a little. I looked back and the wounds weren't leaking. My left hand was burning a bit too much. And upon closer look, the plasma from my saber was actually being absorbed.

'Hisss…. Barrriers….'

I'd actually forgotten that this damn thing was kind of sentient. And the hisses? I didn't know, but it didn't matter.

A barrier covered my body, without even me doing anything. Yeah, after this I'd have to seriously take a good look at my saber.

I quickly put my sword back and just held the saber with two hands. The wounds in my back were burning but they were healing at the same time. And the barrier was basically covering my whole body in a thin layer. It wasn't strong like the barriers I could form to block and stuff but it was strong enough to give me just one chance. "My love for you won't change. I won't just discard you or run to get milk. Though personally I really like chocolate milk and you should know that."

'Wait, what the hell did I just say?'

Marg looked at me with a bit of discontent, one hand covering her chest. "But as I said," Marg Teleported again, "You're not strong enough for that." She swung her sword from the front, out of nowhere: straight from my blind spot. I didn't block or dodge. Her sword did connect to my chest, but there was no cut, at least not deep enough to worry me.

The reason being? The barrier was invisible.

But before Marg could react, I punched her face with all my strength. I didn't have time to hit anywhere else. Sorry mom but I couldn't keep my promise.

Marg flew over and hit the barrier. I again forgot that lately, my strength was uncapped. Yeah, my bad.

I might or might not have ruined that pretty face. But after being cut nearly three times, I really wasn't in the best of moods to hold back just because I loved her and she was a girl.

Then again, she'd recover anyway: probably.

Marg groaned, threw some blood, and got up on shaky legs.

"Still think I'm not strong enough?" I grinned.

"Cheap shot." She spat more blood. Her voice shook a little too.

Yeah, I might or might not have overdone it a lil. Then again, she was literally trying to kill me, or probably incapacitate me. So yeah, now we were even, kind of.

"Hey, anything's fair in love and war. Haven't you heard?"

I still didn't know what Marg was even doing, but one thing was for certain, with this, I at least had a shot.