Thunder Dragon vs. Cat

The first to make a move was… Ren.

Shaa—

A razor-sharp strike aimed straight at the Thunder Dragon's face—a claw swipe, using those characteristically long nails of hers. So fast it was barely visible to the naked eye. If it'd been me on the receiving end, I would have been blinded for sure.

But then again, she was a dragon. Without ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so much as a flicker of panic, the Thunder Dragon hopped lightly backward, then soared into the air, putting distance between herself and Ren in an instant.

"This height is the difference between you and me. Ah—perhaps even greater?"

She smirked. In contrast, Ren's expression grew steadily more murderous.

"Tch."

Ren clicked her tongue once, bent her legs, and launched herself straight at the Thunder Dragon. Spinning once in midair, she fired off a kick aimed at the dragon's jaw.

The Thunder Dragon dodged it just as leisurely as before. And at the same moment, the corner of Ren's mouth curled upward.

She rotated sideways and drove her right foot at the Thunder Dragon's head. Deciding she couldn't dodge it—or that blocking would simply be easier—the Thunder Dragon raised her arm to intercept the kick.

"Useless, nya."

Thwack—!

The Thunder Dragon's arm bent at a grotesque angle, a shape no intact limb should ever be able to make. That thing was one hundred percent broken.

And if it had stopped there, that would have been merciful enough… but Ren struck the head at the same time as the arm. The Thunder Dragon's body went flying downward, skidding across the ground.

Thud—

"Now we're at the same height, nya? Ah—or maybe you're the one lower down, nya?"

Ren cackled, clearly savoring her payback.

"You little…"

The Thunder Dragon ground her teeth with a sharp creak, then unfurled her wings once more.

Whoosh—

"I shall personally teach you just whom you have dared to challenge."

She raised her left arm high toward the sky. Something circular took form in her open palm.

Is that… a magic circle?

I'd heard of them—that when casting powerful magic, a round magic circle would appear. I never thought I'd actually see one with my own eyes. I'd always assumed it was the kind of thing you'd never witness in real life.

"Thunder Dragon's Heavenly Demise."

A colossal dragon burst from her hand and ascended high into the sky. It vanished beyond our field of vision, then began plummeting back down at tremendous speed. And its landing point was, of course… Ren.

Ren jumped backward to evade the dragon.

"Useless, mongrel. No matter where you flee, that dragon will pursue you for the rest of your life."

She wasn't wrong. Right before slamming into the ground, the dragon twisted its course and gave chase. Ren ran for all she was worth, but it showed no intention of letting go—ready to follow her to the ends of hell itself.

"……"

Maybe she gave up. Ren stopped dead in place.

"…I've seen this one in an anime before, nya."

She leapt into the air once more—flying straight at the Thunder Dragon.

"You think I'll fall for that twice, mongrel?"

This time the Thunder Dragon put some real distance between them. But… that, too, was part of Ren's calculation. Ren shot past the Thunder Dragon's face and over her head, then twisted mid-descent and slammed a blow into the dragon's waist. The Thunder Dragon was shoved forward… and crashed straight into her own Thunder Dragon's Heavenly Demise.

"Good thing I watched that dragon ball show earlier, nya."

Ren trudged over to me.

"I'd say that settles it, nya?"

"…Doesn't look like it."

"…?"

Ren tilted her head at my words. And in that instant, electricity wrapped around her entire body.

"Nyaaaaagh!"

Her whole frame convulsed. The focus drained from her eyes.

Thud—

Ren dropped to her knees. Black smoke poured from her mouth.

"Clever idea, girl."

The smoke filling the space behind Ren began to clear, gradually revealing the silhouette of a young girl.

"Making me take my own attack… for a mongrel, you used your head a little. However…"

The Thunder Dragon brushed the dust from her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠body.

"As if electricity would work on a Thunder Dragon. Mongrel."

She looked down at the kneeling Ren.

"Well… I suppose I can praise you for fighting me this far…"

Grab—

"…?"

The arrogant smile that had just been on the Thunder Dragon's face vanished in an instant, replaced by pure shock. And for good reason—Ren, who should have been down for the count… was back on her feet, clutching the Thunder Dragon by the collar.

"…You fucking bitch."

Ren lifted her head and locked eyes with the Thunder Dragon. I couldn't see that look myself… but the Thunder Dragon's ashen face and the sound of Ren's voice told me everything. Ren was way more pissed now than before.

She threw her head back.

Crack—!

Ren's forehead smashed into the Thunder Dragon's. The dragon staggered backward, blood running down her brow.

"You're dead today, you son of a bitch. You dare hit me from behind?"

"…That was your own fault for letting your guard down. You kicked me in the back first, di—"

"Fuck off. Just come at me."

She crooked a finger at the Thunder Dragon—as if to say, stop moving your mouth and start moving your body.

More importantly, Ren… so the whole nya-speak thing was just a bit, huh. Get her mad enough and she talks like a completely normal person. I feel weirdly betrayed… Not that she noticed, too focused on the fight.

"If you won't come, I'm coming to you."

Ren bent her legs again.

"Wait just a—"

She didn't give the Thunder Dragon time to finish. Ren shot forward in a straight line, faster than before. The Thunder Dragon couldn't even react. Ren's foot buried itself in her gut.

"Guh…"

Clutching her stomach, the Thunder Dragon dropped to her knees.

"Now this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is getting interesting."

"You little…"

She forced herself upright and fixed Ren with a sharp glare.

"…I concede. I underestimated you far too much."

Fwoosh—

Light enveloped her body.

"I shall face you in earnest now."

The light gathered, taking shape, and then—

"KRAAAAAAAAAH!"

—it formed the figure of a massive dragon.

Whoosh—

"Lowly beast."

Blue lightning began to gather before its maw.

"Feel the difference in our stations."

KRA-BOOM—!

…What the hell is that.

A laser of staggering size tore through the air in a straight line. At a glance it resembled a railgun, except the thickness was completely different. A railgun was about the size of a coin; this thing was as thick as a building ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pillar. And the power was absurd. The ground shook so hard I nearly lost my footing.

At that level… is Ren dead?

"I thought I was gonna die, you bastard."

Ah. She's alive. Good.

Ren spat blood from her mouth.

"Didn't think you were hiding something like that… I'll give you that."

She curled her lips into a grin once more.

"This Ren hereby declares you the strongest!"

She planted a hand on the ground, ready to leap. …This kid… Just how much anime has she watched? Or maybe she spends too much time online. I never thought I'd actually hear someone say that line in real life.

"I, too, shall concede what must be conceded."

Of course, the Thunder Dragon had no idea what any of that meant. She simply mirrored Ren's smirk.

"You are no ordinary mongrel."

She opened her jaws and began gathering electricity once more. A powder-keg of a standoff. And once again, the first to move was… Ren.

No thought of dodging—she charged straight at the Thunder Dragon's head.

"Hah. Foolish."

Apparently the Thunder Dragon had finished charging. The light grew brighter.

"To dare meet this body's breath head-on!"

I swallowed hard and stared up at the sky, forgetting even to breathe. The distance between Ren and the Thunder Dragon shrank to less than a meter. And then, finally…

Ren… passed straight through?

Huh? Something felt off. The dragon had suddenly vanished from my field of view. Where did she go?

KRA-BOOM—!

I looked toward the sound. The Thunder Dragon, back in girl form, lay sprawled on the ground.

"Mmm… I used too much power… I feel sleepy… I must rest…"

…What?

She just falls asleep mid-fight?

Oh. Come to think of it…

…This had happened before, too.

"……"

"…What is this, nya. This hollow ending."

Ren looked down at the Thunder Dragon with half-lidded eyes.

"Wake up, nya! Finish the fight properly, nya!"

She shook the Thunder Dragon violently. Not so much as a twitch.

"Ugh, seriously! Even anime get roasted for ending like this, nya! Get up already!"

"……"

I couldn't help a little snort.

"There, there. That's enough, Ren."

"But! We didn't settle anything, nya!"

"Not true. Knowing the limits of your own power is a skill in itself. I'd say this counts as your win."

"…Really, nya?"

Ren's ears perked straight up.

"Of course."

"…So that means I'm stronger than her, nya?"

"Obviously."

"…Really?"

"Really~."

I gave her head a little pat. Only then did Ren look satisfied.

"Hah, behold, nya! An arrogant little brat like that is no match for me, nya!"

She planted both hands on her hips and tilted her chin skyward.

"Well done. Very well done."

Whew… Glad that went over smoothly. All right, time to head back ho—

Huh?

Wait.

To get home, we need to kill monsters… and those things… ran off ages ago.

"……"

We're fucked.