49 Exodia 49: Arm Wrestling Match

"You're late."

Ai-nee said as I entered the derelict building. I set down my bag as I walked toward Ai-nee.

"S-sorry, too many things happened today. I totally forgot about training."

She lit a cigar and threw her lighter away.

"Still smoking? I guess you really are depressed."

I breathed.

"Shut up and take off your shirt. I've already made up with that student."

I scoffed.

Obediently, I took off my blazer and tie, and, uniformly, took my shirt off too.

She stared at my bare chest and so did I.

I instantly noticed what she was staring at.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait..."

I repeatedly said, shaking my head.

"Training for a week... Gave me abs?"

Unlike me from before a week ago, who was almost like a twig, my body looked well-toned and fit. I almost didn't recognise myself.

"Actually, the 'harrowing' training you did for a week gave you abs."

Thinking back, it was harrowing indeed.

I mean, for an endurance exercise, she modified her hand to the max and hit me in the solar plexus times over. I was afraid that I would die from suffocation.

It was hell.

According to Kuro, I wasn't breathing in my sleep for two minutes or so. I think it was due to that exercise.

"Not only did it give you abs... It also-"

As Ai-nee was talking, she swung a punch at me; my body instantly reacted. I caught her fist in my palm.

"-enhanced your physical abilities. Including your reaction time."

I let go of her hand.

So, all of those hellish practices were to tone my body like this?

Throwing me off of a building and forcing me to walk across the city blindfolded wasn't useless after all! At least, now I know that my efforts weren't wasted.

I internally cried.

"Try to cast Shadow Magic. As your body becomes stronger, so does your mana pool."

I nodded.

I've practised some Shadow Magic spells by myself. One of the ones that I can do is called Shadow Whip-.

As I thought that, darkness gathered in my hand and took shape. It formed a long strand; a whip.

"What just..."

I whispered. I turned to Ai-nee, who looked flabbergasted.

Her cigarette fell out of her mouth.

"Let me guess... You thought about the spell in your head and it materialised."

She hit the mark too perfectly that it hurt me.

I nodded with slight consternation.

The woman sighed.

"God, why do you keep evolving like this?"

She then started to complain.

"I mean, why wasn't I just as lucky as you when I was in Altheria as a student?! I could've easily done things and dealt with missions!"

I guess that this incantation-less Quick Casting is due to Black Exodia. That's the only different thing between Ai-nee and me.

Ai-nee cleared her throat and carried on talking.

"Well, we've finally discovered that you don't even need to say words to cast spells, though, please, do not use this too much. We don't know the risks of using it frequently. Since the consequences of not using a proper incantation is-"

"-my life force being drained, yeah, I know."

Though that's only a theory.

I tried asking Professor, Akira, about it and he said that there's no proof. It's only a theory.

Suddenly, something clicked in my head.

"Hey, Ai-nee,"

Her attention turned to me as she was ready to light a cigar with another lighter.

I extended my arm out and cupped my hand.

"Arm wrestle me."

The teacher put her cigar and lighter away and smiled irritably.

"You're getting overconfident, you know that?"

We both grabbed chairs and cleared out the table full of rubbish. We sat down and put our right arms on the table. As we grasped each other's hands, we looked each other in the eye.

"I won't amplify my hand."

"No, it's fine. You can."

I retorted.

She looked angry.

"I see I'm being looked down upon. I'll end this quickly. On my count."

I prepared myself. I could already feel the pressure from Ai-nee's hand.

"3... 2... 1... Go!"

As she said go, I flexed my whole arm and pressed my hand as hard as possible.

Ai-nee was slightly pushing me toward the table, but I was able to regain my position.

I guess... I really am strong in strength. However... There's no way I'll be able to win like this.

Slowly, yet, surely, Ai-nee was pushing me toward the table and, this time, I wasn't able to recover.

Soon enough, my hand was around an inch or two away from the table.

I was going to lose. But... I'm not willing to lose! Not now!

Abruptly, a power was swelling inside of me. It directed itself into my right arm. Ai-nee suddenly looked shocked as she stared at me, I took that opportunity.

The next moment, within the time it took to pull a trigger on a gun, the table ruptured and Ai-nee was thrown onto the ground.

I won. I had won.

Even if it was only an arm wrestling match, I won against Ai-nee!

For the first time in my life, I had won against Ai-nee when it came to physicality!

If younger me saw me, he'd be amazed!

I was always getting bullied by her and put into headlocks and being used as a sandbag, but, today, I won!

"I actually did it!"

I cheered.

"I won!"

"Yeah..."

Ai-nee groaned as she picked herself up from the ground. She looked concerned about something and it wasn't since she lost the arm wrestling match. I could tell.

She turned to me and stared me in the eye.

"Woah!"

I shouted as I blocked Ai-nee's fist. Once again, she tried to punch me. However, this time, it felt faster than last time. Was she not serious last time?

Wait, if not, then how was I able to catch this one?

"What was that for?!"

I complained.

"Your eyes..."

She muttered.

"Hm? What about them?"

I asked.

"They're... blue."