Smoke from the explosion curled around Kurt's silhouette. But as the wind caught the soot, the crowd gasped.
Kurt was standing exactly where he had been, his arm extended. His palm was open and tucked firmly within his grip was Ryuuji's flaming fist. A shimmering, translucent layer of blue mana coated Kurt's hand, acting as a heat-resistant barrier.
He then squeezed the fist, the sound of Ryuuji's knuckles creaking under the pressure audible even over the crackling embers.
"What exactly do you think you're doing? Was that an actual attempt to kill me in broad daylight?" Kurt asked, his voice sounding dangerously low.
Ryuuji's eyes widened, shifting from the sight of his extinguished flames to the blue light surrounding Kurt's fingers. He let out a scoff and yanked his hand back, though the one-eyed assassin didn't make it easy.
"Mana coating," Ryuuji muttered as a dark grin spread across his face.
