Haystack vs Akira..

Itsuo, the King Spider’s right hand, aka Haystack.

Without warning, he pulled a bunch of hay from thin air and poured it all onto my face, which didn't hurt me in the slightest but, it did make me stumble.

I tried to take the hay off, which went inside my mouth- *BAM*

I dropped to the ground, bleeding my nose.

"What the hell!.."

Just then, Itsuo leapt at me and did a sucker punch; which made me lose balance, falling on the bed of haystack that he created around me..

"You cannot expect to relax in front of an enemy, Akira-chan... hehehe”

"Ah... Bastard.."

He’s a Producer affinity user who creates a bed of hay stacks.

The same hay used in farms for cattle feed.

Nobody took him seriously.

Everyone saw him as a quiet creepy guy who had grown out of proportion, with an awfully 'useless' magic to boot. I was a poor student too, but Itsuo got frequently listed in the same category as me, and even worse by exam ranks, all the while having a perfect compatibility with Producer magic affinity. 

It always made me wonder why.

'Now I know.' This damn bastard fights with cheap tricks. Not worth anyone's time to treat him as a proper 'mage' who fights with honor. At least, that's what I hear from people whenever they talk about him. But, how did he become close to the King Spider, Takamasa himself, who wouldn't even bat an eye to people who are not worthy of talent?

I've only seen Takamasa once, in all these years at this magic school.

There has to be a reason why he chose someone like Itsuo.

Never mind that, there’s a bigger concern for me now:
Does this guy really think he can win against me by trick and punch alone..?

In terms of raw strength and agility, I could break up his bones beyond repair, if I'm not careful. It would be like taking candy from a toddler.

"ARHGGHH!!!"

"Ah! are you hurt, Akira-chan?" Itsuo said, grabbing my face and leaning it against his chest.

I tried to stand up, when out of nowhere, the hay sticks on the ground acted like snakes, jumping up all around me, piercing my neck. I can't think straight.. My eyes are going blank..

The hay pierced my legs, as I fell to the ground.

It hurts like a thousand needles are inserted into my body, only short of puncturing my throat.

I heard everyone gasping at Haystack’s magic.

"Did you take me for a prankster, Akira-chan?"

‘Argh..’ I coughed up blood.

This pain is unbearable.

"I formed these hay with mana. It is not regular cow food like everyone thinks." Itsuo lifted up my face, and looked at me.

"Since we're already more than friends.. I'll tell you my story, do you want to hear it, Akira-chan?"

"Itsuo, that's enough." said Lee sensei's voice.

"But, I haven't won yet. We barely fought!," Itsuo shouted, looking back at me, "Do you want to accept defeat now, Akira-chan? Do you want to live with yourself, while fully knowing that you don't stand a chance against your significant other?"

My mind is recovering..

Arrgh..

"Kill... I'll kill you.." I replied, and coughed blood again.

"Yes, Yes! That's the spirit, Akira-chan!"

The hay sticks are constantly piercing my body, faster than my heightened healing factor from the clock pendant.

"I grew up most of my life on a farm.."

Itsuo sat down next to me.

"Most of my memories of farm life were ordinary and boring.. It was peaceful too. A way of life that has been lost to me, ever since I moved to the city."

"But, I remember a particular memory that stuck with me all these years.” Itsuo continued. “This was back when I was a child.. I remember a young calf got choked on its food and died on our farm.."

"That little cow was my favorite to play with out of all the animals in the farm. I watched it die.”

“Bleeding from its mouth, coughing up blood and finally collapsing on a bed of haystack.."

"It died. But for what? Why did it die? It ate the hay like it always used to. Then, why did the seemingly harmless hay become lethal to the thing I loved?"

"Akira-chan.. You're the same as my calf.” I looked up to see Itsuo pointing his finger at me. “Are you going to die and leave me longing too?"