[Siuwa]

If it can be said that the pain the semblance gives is a demoralizing ache, then Kei's strike is a refreshing reminder giving Infrared the push to finally get up... if not for the lightning Dust forcing her to only be able to tilt her head and be scratched by it. Infrared then rolls away, every bit of skin touching the ground offering the same sensation the poke to his face does.

Carefully Infrared got back to her feet, having to push herself up against her knees with her hands but she did manage to at least adopt a defensive stance. At the same time, the pain is finally noticeably fading, so she can maybe not get handed on a silver platter. The brain that is barely running tells her to use something, but she can't know what it is.

Battle data:
Aura: 29%
Reaction: 1 Shot/16 stored

Actions:
Being in pain(5 seconds remaining), defending

[MonsterManic]

She’s a persistent one. Kei thought with grim satisfaction. Not many people he had fought against before could say that they survived being blown up by a volcano, especially when Infrared didn’t even spec into survivability considering her gear. Nevertheless, he was frustrated when Infrared still managed to avoid his attacks while on the ground and clearly in distress. Not only because he fully expected to end the fight, but also because he’d managed to miss a almost incapacitated target.

Kei’s strength was waning. He had to end it now or he’d end up worse than his opponent. Just then, a word of advice floated into his head, drilled into his head from his training before Beacon: Fencing may look flashy and swift but always fall back on basics instead of footwork when in a pinch. Grasping that advice, he delivered another two weaker thrusts at Infrared’s chest and stomach, the largest surface areas where it was much less likely to miss than her head.

Kei’s Stats
● Aura: [████———] 48%
● Semblance: [RECHARGING][15 SECONDS]
● Passive Effect: Fatigued - Damage dealt -3%

Combat Log: Two Dust-enhanced strikes to stomach, affected by Fatigue (6% x 2 + 3% x2) [Original dmg 9% per strike]

[Siuwa]

Infrared really needs to rethink on her choices. She went from having a 20% headstart in Aura before contact even begins to well, now. A glance over the history of the battle reveals being at range is favorable while closing in isn't, which offers a solution to her current predicament: Run. Yeah, it's not pretty, and she risks being flat-out caught up considering she's not all that fast, but it seems like she is decidedly less competent at sword fighting then he is. But there's a good reason this is the usual executions of one of the golden rules of combat, hit your enemy and don't get hit by them.
[Grab approved by Monster.]
Focus... observe, Clink!, Infrared managed to block the first lance strike by half-swording a parry from aside, then when Kei goes for the second time, she managed to get a hold of his lance and withstanding the charge on it, yanked it hard and used it and Kei's body as leverage, dashed right past him and started rushing down the mountain, back to the rocky side of the field where she left the instrument needed to utilize the hopefully increased range. The girl needs the help of added speed from moving down for that, but not her semblance even though it would help because she can't really take more hits.

Once at the base of the mountain, to unload some of the weight she carries, with minimal aiming at the now shortened mountaintop she launched the loaded rocket there hoping to inflict at least some damage.

Battle data:
Aura: 26%
Reaction: 16 stored

Actions:
Rocket: 20% direct hit/up to 15% off-center/up to 9% splash damage

[MonsterManic]

At this point the number of things Infrared had pulled off that should have left her under the 15% Aura mark was so high that it was like an invisible suit of amor was protecting her. And it was already past the point of ticking the normally composed and calm Kei off. Of course, he didn’t show it. But if time hadn’t forged the Mistralian 4th year into the “show little emotion” person, he would definitely be raging at the amount of engagements that had gone Infrared’s way.

Here’s the thing about Kei’s current situation; someone aiming a rocket launcher up is far less effective than someone aiming it down, especially when he could actually hit the deck compared to when the mountaintop had a sharp peak. So he does just that. Sure enough, the rocket thunders into the mountainside, sending more rocks everywhere and shaking the ground underneath him, but unlike the peak the mountain holds. Covered by the aftermath, Kei thumbs the release switch on his lance handle. From Infrared’s perspective, there’s absolutely no way that she is able to see this happening.

So hopefully, when Kei stands up, takes a good amount of time lining up his sight, and launches a Kinetic Dust lance directly at Infrared, with equal - if not higher - speed to her rockets, owing to the minimal air resistance and the amount of Dust stuffed into the core, she won’t see that coming. It’s just another card in his hand that he hasn’t played, and will hopefully entice Infrared to carefully consider what else he does have left to play.

Kei’s Stats
● Aura: [████———] 48%
● Semblance: [RECHARGING][10 SECONDS]
● Passive Effect: Fatigued - Damage dealt -3%

Combat Log:
● Kinetic Dust Lance launch (7%) [Not affected by Fatigue]

[Siuwa]

Infrared looked back when she heard the sound of the rocket exploding. She missed. Well, time to run some more- wait. What is he doing... tch, if only they were closer, then you're going to regret that. Thanks to the distance between the two combatants, she has ample time drawing out her sword and deflecting it.

With that, she resumed sprinting at her rocket cache. With the attack that just happened in mind, she started hiding behind columns of still standing rocks, moving from one to the other quickly and advancing that way. It does take a bit of time, but she finally got to it and can start reloading Reaction.

Battle data:
Aura: 26%
Reaction: 16 stored

Actions:
Reloading(10 seconds remaining)

[Kingnoname1]

Monster concedes