"Hm. Even a yokai blade can still be destroyed," mused the old mage, arranging his fingers and thumb in a flat manner to form a blade. "Either your weapon will be eliminated first, or you will be."

The following attacks were aimed entirely at the katana. His fighting style was fast and vicious, but Ryuuko's guess had been correct: The Daidouji was not as skilled in hand to hand and was not capable of avoiding her slashes as well as he would have hoped, forced to dodge in and out in a bit to make his attacks. And yet, his assault was a ferocious one. He did not have time to cast any spells that would give him a clear advantage, but he did have time to activate the runes on his other arm, spreading a red aura across it as well, his sleeve seeming to dissolve as it was exposed to the destructive energy.

His attacks became faster, more furious. And yet, he still struggled to land a hit. Every time he found a moment where he could, it also placed him at far too much of a risk.

It was a violent dance, one where either opponent could be slain at any second. Trails of red energy followed the Daidouji mage's slicing hands, and it's likely neither of them would realize anything else had changed in the room.

But soon enough, the mage caught a whiff... of cigarette smoke.

"I was wondering when you'd notice," commented Toshiko, blowing out a stream of smoke. Suspended in the air was the burning shape of a theurgic sigil, one she had carved in place with her cigarette's smoldering tip.

"Ando Toshiko...!" the man's eyes widened, but it was far too late for him to act.

"[i]Accendo[/i]," said Toshiko simply. The symbol suddenly blazed a deep shade of red.

Almost immediately, the old Daidouji clutched his chest, letting out a wheeze... a horrible smell erupted from his mouth, a smell unmistakably that of burning flesh. Indeed, moments later, flames seemed to leap from his throat as he staggered, clutching at his body and stumbling to the side. He was burning from the inside out.

Toshiko took a drag on her cigarette.

"There's not much I won't do to defend my employees, and she's a student as well," she commented, as if explaining her actions to the rapidly burning man, "You should have suspected that much."

The elder Daidouji's feet hit the side of the hole he'd made his way in throw, and as flames erupted out of his chest cavity he fell.

"... Haah," Toshiko let out a sigh, "Good work, Ryuuko-san. I wouldn't have been able to do that if he'd been paying attention."

At around that moment, Kitty too also made her way into the room... and almost immediately ran for the unconscious Bunny.