The wind rushed past my face as I soared into the sky with Marisa, the m sun gleaming brightly above. I made sure to keep my human form, feeling the warmth of the sunlight.

  If I were to transform into a vampire now, the sun would be my worst enemy. I even sidered using sunlight as a on against Remilia, but then I remembered the scarlet mist i so, she could easily cover the sun if she wao. And besides, my lie ability couldn't make night into day. I let out a sigh, pushing the thought aside. It was better to focus on the oppo in front of me.

  As the clouds drifted around us, Marisa flew up beside me, her broom gliding effortlessly through the air. She grinned with the fidence of a seasoned sky-dweller. "So, what did you train with Reimu?"

  I shivered, recalling the brutal beatdown from yesterday. "Danmaku," I said simply.

  Marisa's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Danmaku, huh? That's my favorite game! Alright the's do it!" She spun her broom around, fag me with her arms crossed fidently. "You know the rules, right?"

  I nodded. "Yeah, I know."

  A sly gri onto Marisa's face. "Are you sure? Do you know that the loser has to pay moo the winner?"

  "What?! I didn't know about that!" I excimed, nearly losing my ban mid-air.

  Marisa's grin widened, but she quickly masked it with a more serious face. "Oh, it's a tradition in Gensokyo, you know. I've already lost to Reimu so many times, and each time I had to give her all my money."

  I looked at her, trying not to ugh. Did she really think she could fool a magi whose power relied on lies? I could practically see through her words. But instead of calling her out, I just smiled and pyed along. "Ah, I see... Thanks for expining that to me. I had no idea about that rule."

  Marisa looked pleased with herself, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "It's no problem at all! Alright the's start danmaku!"

  Marisa began by summoning tless glowing star fragments, their light shimmering like the night sky. "Magic Sign 'Milky Way'!" she shouted, her voice eg across the sky. The star pieces floated around her, swirling and sparkliifully. But then they shot toward me in uable patterns, zigzagging and twinkling as they closed in.

  I gritted my teeth and quickly activated my Cheat Card. "This is a shield!" A bright light enveloped the card, transf it inte, shimmering barrier that hovered in front of me. The stars collided with the shield, exploding into harmless sparkles.

  Marisa didn't let up. She grinned, clearly enjoying herself. "Light Bst 'Shoot the Moon'!" She tossed several bullets into the air. They shot upwards, then burst into beams of light that rained down on me like shooting stars. Each impact sent a shockwave through the sky, creating ripples of light.

  I maneuvered the shield to block the beams, the barrier vibrating with each hit. But Marisa wasn't do. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she pulled out her trump card. "Love Sign 'Master Spark'!"

  A massive magic circle appeared before her, crag with energy. I felt a chill run down my spine as the air vibrated with power. A giant beam of pure light erupted from the circle, its width rge enough to swallow me whole.

  My heart skipped a beat. It was the same terrifying attack she used when we first met—the attack that nearly obliterated me. I felt a cold sweat break out as the giant beam came rushing toward me.

  I gripped the shield tightly, reinf it with all my willpower. The beam collided with my barrier, pushing me back through the sky. The force was overwhelming, the light blinding. I could feel my arms shaking as I struggled to hold the shield in pce.

  But then, with a shattering sound, the shield gave out. The glowing barrier fractured, pieces breaking off and evaporating into light before the whole thing shattered pletely, transf bato a card that fluttered to me. I was left defenseless, the shockwave from the explosion pushing me back.

  Marisa grinned, her eyes alight with excitement. "Looks like your shield's gone! Ready for another round?" She raised her mini-Hakkero, the magical device humming with energy. Without missing a beat, she began to charge her Master Spark again, magical circles spinning and crag with power.

  My heart pounded as I watched the energy build up before her. I reached for my shield card, but the i on it was dim. It wouldn't activate again. I cursed under my breath. The cards only worked oil they recharged. I needed another pn—and fast.

  Marisa ughed, the light from her attack illuminating her fident smirk. "Here it es! Master Spark!" The beam shot out, massive and blinding, r through the sky toward me.

  I panicked for a split sed, my mind rag. Then, an idea hit me. It was reckless, but it was all I had. I grabbed another Cheat Card, holding it out in front of me. I had no magiy own, but... maybe I didn't need any.

  I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Master Spark!"

  The card in my hand glowed brightly, the light twisting and shifting until it transformed into a familiar shape—a small, round device with intricate engravings. My eyes widened. It was a mini-Hakkero, just like Marisa's! I could feel it humming with energy, vibrating in my palm.

  Without thinking, I aimed it at Marisa's attack. Power surged through me as the device respoo my will. A beam of light erupted from it, bright and forceful, colliding head-on with Marisa's Master Spark.

  The sky lit up as the two beams cshed, waves of energy rippling outward. Sparks and lightning danced around the collision point, the sheer force shaking the air. I could feel the pressure, the heat, the raw power of it. My arms straio hold the mini-Hakkero steady.

  Marisa's eyes went wide with shock. "What the—? Why are you using my spell!? That's my Master Spark!" She looked at my mini-Hakkero, her face a mixture of fusion and fury. "Damn it! How did you get that!?"

  Our beams tio collide, her one giving an inch. But Marisa's expression shifted, a sly grin spreading across her face. "You're pretty good... But you're not me!"

  Her eyes glowed with magical energy as she poured more power into her Master Spark. The beam grew rger, brighter, more intehe force was overwhelming, my own attack starting to falter.

  I gritted my teeth, straining to push back against her power, but my mini-Hakkero began to shake violently, its energy fluctuating. I could feel it slipping. I didn't have Marisa's magic. I was just borrowing her power.

  Marisa's ugh echoed through the air. "You might be able to y on, but you don't have the magic to back it up!"

  With a roar, her Master Spark overwhelmed mine, pushing through and swallowing my beam whole. The light surged toward me, the heat scorg. I braced myself, crossing my arms in front of me as the attack smmed into me.

  An explosion of light filled the sky, the shockwave sending me spiraling backward. My body felt like it was on fire, the forog the air out of my lungs. I tumbled through the air before crashing into the ground below, dirt and debris flying up around me.

  My body ached all over, my limbs trembling as I struggled to push myself up. The mini-Hakkero had already reverted bato a card, now lying useless beside me. I looked up to see Marisa desding from the sky, her hat casting a shadow over her face as she gririumphantly.

  "Not bad... Not bad at all," she said, nding gracefully in front of me. "You even mao y Master Spark. But that's not enough to beat the real deal!" She ughed, clearly having enjoyed herself.

  I groaned, wiping dirt from my face. "Yeah... I noticed." My whole body was sore from the impact, and my pride was a little bruised too. But even so, I couldn't help but smile. It was a good fight.