14 Duel
A.N. I believe you Americans use the word College for what we Brits call University. Anyway, I have a particularly annoying assignment so I won't be updating regularly for about a week.
Also I aim to return to my main story soon. If you commission chapters from me for this story, then I will write more. But that's how it's going to be. I'll use this story as a break now and then.
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Ptah sighed as he entered Babel Tower through a specific entrance and began walking down the well-lit yet seemingly empty hallway. A few guild officials tried to stop him from doing so but he waved them off.
"Out of my way." He shooed. "I'm here to see Ouranos."
"I'm sorry sir but god or mortal, there are rules that must be adhered to." The sentry said. "You cannot come here without authorization. Return home."
Ptah sighed. "Just get out of here child. This is an exchange between gods okay. Don't interfere."
The sentry's hand gripped his weapon, which Ptah took notice of, and the lax, childish attitude he had was immediately dropped as his eyes hardened at the guard.
"I well tell you once more, my lord. You are not permitted beyond to go beyond this point. Now leave befo-"
"Be silent." Ptah commanded as his golden eyes flashed red for a moment and the air around his mouth became distorted as it sounded to the guard like his voice was coming from everywhere at once.
The guard found himself unable to speak, like his voicebox itself was refusing to work.
"You will turn around, walk away, and stick your face in the nearest toilet you can find." Ptah commanded.
Against his will, the guard found his body doing exactly that against his will. The only part of his body head control over was his eyes as his body autonomously began walking away in the direction of the worker's lavatories.
Ptah glared at the other people who had come to stop him. "Depart".
On his order, the guild officials removed themselves from his personal space and walked away in different directions that they had come from. Ptah's eyes turned from red back to the yellow gold they usually were.
When the gods came down to the mortal world, they sealed away their Arcanum and decided to live a life surrounded by mortal inconvenience to make life more exciting and challenging. But each god was tied down to a Domain, and they had powers suited to that concept. You could say that the gods were the physical embodiments of those concepts, hence why they retained some special powers of theirs even after sealing their supernatural powers.
Freya, a goddess of Love, War, Beauty and Fertility had the power to charm people and entrance them into doing her bidding. Hephaestus retained the ability to create Legendary weapons, and she could merely look at any weapon to know how valuable it was and its composite's as well as the technique used to make it. These were just two examples.
The power of Ptah however, had a right to be feared.
Despite his diminutive stature, Ptah had been monstrously powerful even amongst his kin in heaven. With his mere speech, he had been able to weave into being things that even made the other gods jealous of him, especially Ra. And the ability he had retained even after sealing his power was closely connected.
While he couldn't just speak of things into creation anymore, he still possessed the power to forcefully bend some of the laws. Like the law of Free Will for example. Using his tongue, he could force other people, even other gods to do his bidding against their will. And just like his new child, he too could command the skies to release their burdens or to clear themselves of their clouds and let the sun shine through.
It would take time to list all of the things he could do with his ability but given that he was still able to command abstract concepts despite his Arcanum being sealed...should give you an idea of how powerful he truly was in his complete form.
Now Ptah did not like using this ability. He took no enjoyment out of making people do something they didn't want to do, hence why he barely ever used and hence why not many people knew he had it. And you know what he called this ability?
He called it his 'Lawful Tongue'.
Does that sound familiar?
---
Ptah descended down the stone steps into the darkened room and looked straight towards the great shrine in the middle of this construct. Taking his time, he approached the altar slowly, his papyrus sandals being the only noise heard in the room as he locked eyes with an 'old friend' of his.
"Ouranos." Ptah said, all semblance of childishness gone from his face. "You know you didn't have to send your creepy little lackey to come and fetch me. You could have just sent a letter."
"I deemed sending Fels to be the more appropriate way of getting through to you." The old man said. "You have a habit of ignoring invites unless they are sent with a voice right to your door."
"He came in through my window, idiot." Ptah grumbled. "Anyway, I can kind of guess why you called for me. Just say it aloud for clarity's sake."
"Hm." Ouranos pulled out a rolled up papyrus sheet from his cloak and unrolled it. "Royman sent this to me some time ago. The Loki Familia have embarked on their expedition so I've been occupied trying to keep the Dungeon in check. But now I have time to address this."
Ptah put his hands in his pockets and began climbing up the stairs right towards Ouranos's throne. Now that would be where the Olympian Primordial drew the line, even when it came to interactions with other gods. But he shared a history with this particular one.
Ouranos was amongst the oldest gods there were in heaven but there were a few others equally as old. Even fewer were ones who were older and whose power completely eclipsed his. This was one such god climbing the stairs to his throne.
Ptah took the sheet form Ouranos's hand and instantly recognised it. It was an exact copy of the Status sheet he'd taken on Steve when he first gave the boy his blessing.
"Mind explaining it?" Ouranos asked.
"What do you want me to say?" Ptah said as he tossed the sheet of paper into one of the torches burning nearby. "That I harboured this adventurer unofficially for years and somehow he achieved this level?"
"I'm not accusing you of anything like that. But you are the only one connected to him so it made sense to ask you."
"I don't know okay. He just came to my grotto one day asking to be my child. The whole reason I came down here was so that I could start a Familia. Of course I accepted him. But the moment I marked him, a tidal wave of what looked like Excelia was just expelled out of his body and then just sucked in by the Falna. After that he was level 9."
"You are aware of the shift in power this will create?"
"Of course I do." Ptah crossed his arms. "But I've committed to it now. I've had a look at him...he bears no ill will. Nothing more than a genuine desire to explore and possibly conquer the Dungeon, while at the same time bottling a lot of ideas on how to turn profit. For certain he is callous, but not malicious."
"It is not that which I refer to." Ouranos said. "{Tongue of the Laws}. You know what that sounds like, correct?"
"YES. I know." Ptah said exasperatedly. "It's only been keeping me awake at night for the past three days, making me wonder at the irony that the very first child I got possessed similar power to mine and more than that, is able to use such power under no conditions."
"...It truly must be a pain on you, considering that even those statues you create don't keep you awake out of fear."
"YOU TOO!"
"I jest. But jokes aside, it cannot be ignored, the implications of this. Mortals do not grow like that so easily especially at such a young age he claims to be. Judging by that sheet alone, he is the most powerful mortal to ever cross this world. Or rather...cross into."
"...So you figured it out too huh." Ptah muttered.
"Old friend. We are both old amongst our pantheons. There at the very beginning. You go so far back that with your tongue, you spoke into creation the Egyptian part of heaven, allowing for the Egyptian pantheon gods to be formed. I think that with such history behind us, we can both understand and deduce things that the younger gods would dismiss as crazy talk."
"A Transmigrator is anything but crazy talk." Ptah said. "It goes without saying that he doesn't know of my suspicions but what WE know is that they can't do it on their own. The would have needed outside help and 'that' requires great power...power even older and more powerful than us." Ptah gestured to their surroundings. "We bear dominion over a tiny speck of dirt in the wider expanse of the cosmos. We know that there are beings out there infinitely more powerful than any Primordial of this world."
"Which begs the question, why would such an entity send him here? That is, if he is one who walked across worlds." Ouranos said.
"They don't need reason to do anything Ouranos." Ptah shook his head. "They send their chosen ones to lower worlds for different purposes. I haven't figured out a way of asking yet."
"Then perhaps I should speak to him." Ouranos said. "Get a read on his character. Perhaps we can glean his intentions from that."
"Do whatever, brat. I'm tired." Ptah shrugged and started walking down the stairs.
"The announcement will have to be made soon enough." Ouranos called to him. "You will find yourself without peace in due time."
"If they come bothering me, I'll just order him to knock them out and send them back the way they came." Ptah said. "That's the plus side of having a head-ache like him around."
"You should count yourself fortunate. In this great game of ours, you were landed into your lap the most powerful piece ever." Ouranos smiled. "One would think that you would be happy about this."
"After having to deal with that brat Ra's arrogance all the time, I think I've had enough of pomp and popularity." Ptah shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned. Stephen is free to do as he pleases. I don't know about you but I do not want anything to do with displeasing whatever being sent him here. Do with that as you will."
"Very well." Ouranos said as Ptah climbed the stairs that led out of the Throne room. "So typically lazy of you. Is it any wonder why Ra was able to become king of your pantheon and hog all the glory? You could have removed him at any moment yet you just didn't want to deal with hard work." Ouranos shook his head. "But rest assured, should the boy prove to be...reasonable, his powers shall be put to good use. For the sake of Orario...for the sake of all the mortal world."
---
(38th Floor)
"So, you ready Ais?" Steve said as he faced the girl in front of him.
"Yes." She nodded as she drew her sword, levelled it at him and settled into her battle-stance. "I am ready."
"Good. Let's get this over with." He said as he lazily held his Netherite sword. "The sooner, the better."
"Hm." She acknowledged. "Please, don't hold back."
"I don't plan to." Steve looked over at the executive group. "And nobody has a problem if she gets roughed up a little in this, yeah?"
"It is what she wants." Shrugged Finn. "The only condition I can set for this fight is that no permanent maiming is allowed nor can you kill one another, if the obvious has to be stated."
"You hear that Ais?" Steve said. "Now I don't expect you to hold back either. I've seen what you're able to do. So go all out, I can handle it."
"Yes." She answered before seeming to realize something. She straightened herself, sheathed her sword and bowed to him, making him confused.
"What are you doing?"
"Thank you for agreeing to spar with me." Ais said.
"Ok? I only agreed because you've been pestering me about it ever since our bath yesterday." Steve said.
"Please teach me well." Ais said, her head still in a bowing position.
"...Are you an airhead, Miss Wallenstein?"
While this was going on, the Loki Familia were gathered on the side mainly around a small chair that had two bowls in it, which some adventurers were throwing money into.
"I put a thousand on Ais!"
"I'm putting 3!"
"I only have 500 to spare. But I'm putting it on Miss Ais too."
Ever the loyal Familia, the adventurers were tossing money into the bowl that had Ais's name on it. They had not seen him destroy Udaeus the previous day, they had only seen him kill Amphisbaena and the same monsters that their executives did. In fact, it was only the vanguard themselves that had seen Steve's real power on display.
Otherwise the Loki Familia were quite sure that their Princess would win given that she won pretty much every fight she engaged in. In great contrast, the bowl that had Steve's name on it was empty. Tiona quickly saw to that by throwing money in is bowl.
"HEY! What are you doing that for?"
"Are you siding with Mister Steve miss Tiona? Why?"
"Because what's the point of a bet if there is no one betting on the other side? Dummies!" Tiona said. "Besides, I'm going to be claiming all your money soon anyway."
"But Miss Ais is a seasoned adventurer!"
"Yeah, she can beat him! Why are you betting on the losing side?"
One of the adventurers turned to a certain werewolf.
"Aren't you going to place one Mr Bete?"
Bete looked at the pair before tutting and turning his head away. "What's the point? This match is already decided."
The adventurers misinterpreted this to mean that he thought Ais would win and they turned back to Tiona.
"See? Even Mr Bete knows Ais will win!"
"Just you wait." Tiona wagged a finger. "You'll be crying when this is over."
...
"You want to place a bet?" Gareth asked Riveria as he glanced at her.
"Of course not." Riveria said. "To begin with, it's not a good practice. And second, why place a bet when Bete has pointed it out? We know who will win."
"But come on, you know? Money?"
"If you're so fond of the idea..." Riveria looked at him. "Then why don't you put anything in?"
"..."
"Exactly. Already knowing the answer takes the fun out of it I'd imagine."
"Let's just watch. He's only fought monsters up until now. It's a first to see him fighting another adventurer."
...
"Aaaand...BEGIN!" Finn gave the signal.
Ais instantly began running towards Steve but not in a straight line. She ran from side to side in a zigzag pattern, while keeping an eye on him on where to strike.
Steve had unequipped his armour, saying that it wasn't fair grounds if he was fully armoured while she was pretty much just wearing a dress with some pieces of metal on it. This revealed his real frame which was muscular for a teenage guy but not too much on the large side. They were lean muscles that only bulged when he flexed them purposely, and they screamed of power.
Ais kept a track of his dark blue-purple eyes, noticing that they were effortlessly following her every move as she closed in on him. She twirled her sword in the air a bit in an attempt to confuse him before thrusting out. He responded by swinging his sword right at hers, leaning into his attack to put more weight behind his attack.
The moment both blades connected, sparks flew off and Ais felt her arm shudder before her guard immediately break as she was flung away. She skidded backwards on her feet but she kept her head in the game as she didn't break eye contact with her opponent, immediately running in again. She danced around him, attacking him from various directions as he stayed rooted in his place, not moving his feet as he deflected her with seeming simple swings of his own weapon.
Ais tried to involve a little hand-to-hand as she used her her sword to guid his upwards, and used that momentum to swing around and try to land a round-house kick on his chin. He leaned back a little bit, only enough for the tip of her boot to glance by his chin-hairs, missing him completely.
Her missed kick left her unable to counter as he swung his sword downwards. Ais grit her teeth and just in time crossed the flat of her blade with his as his attack landed. Ais felt her knees bend and her elbows being punched in as the ground cracked under the strength of his swing. She struggled for a bit, her arms shaking as she tried to resist him pushing his sword downwards. Knowing she'd lose in a contest of raw strength, she used his pressure to make his sword slide along the length of her blade and then span out from under his as she twirled and tried to back slash towards his exposed neck.
Before she could do that, she felt him back hand his clenched fist into her stomach, knocking both saliva and wind out of her as her body lifted off the ground, flew up at 15 feet and she landed on her back wheezing. Taking only a second to recover from her spinning head, she rolled sideways and back on to her feet as she expected him to advance on her while she was down. But there he was, in the same position he was in when this whole thing started.
"You done?" He questioned.
She answered by rushing straight to him this time and at the last moment, swerved to the side and them jumped at him to attack him from the side that didn't have his sword on it. But he held the flat of his blade out in quick motion, blocking her as the tip of 'Desperate' hit the magical sword dead in the middle. This was where Steve started to put his development abilities to use.
He pushed her sword away from him in an upwards direction to open her guard and the then mimicked the same move she did earlier by twirling his sword and thrusting. She thought it was coming for her left side, but when she bent her body to the right, the edge of his sword actually cut the side of her exposed right thigh.
Which confused her because was sure that it had been going towards her side. She tried to deflect it as it came again but instead her sword went over his shoulder and his blade cut her side, the original place he'd aimed for. Finding her feet, she tried to get into his personal space but for the first time he moved from his spot by weaving around her advance. He raised his sword in the air, and with the flat he batted her headpiece making her face go surfing in the dirt. In the same instance she felt him bat her away like he was playing cricket and she was the ball.
She went rolling several times over, rocks and grit scratching at her exposed skin. Scrabbling, she managed to roll over into a crouched guard position and looked back at him. Only now did she realise she was actually heaving with heavy breaths and she looked at her sword arm which was shaking as her bicep ached.
He eyed her for a bit before looking like he was taking a single step in her direction. Yet before that foot landed, suddenly he appeared behind her and the only reason she knew was because of a gust of wind had rushed past her and she could feel his presence as he lifted his sword again to strike down. She turned around in the nick of time and blocked again, once more caught in a contest of raw strength as he didn't have a bead of sweat on him while her muscles were starting to cry from the strain.
She slid out of that position again and amped up her technique a little as she thrust several times in a second at him. To the eyes of the lower ranked adventurers, it seemed like just a blur of her sword and showers of sparks flying everywhere as Steve parried each and everyone while still standing completely calm as he did so.
Steve responded again and proceeded to dismantle every one of her attack patterns as he targeted her with vicious yet deadly accurate sweeps as she found herself being forced back and losing ground. She tried thrusting towards his his thorax when she thought she found an opening but he stepped aside as she flew past him, grabbed her collar from behind and then slammed her on her back once again making her feel like her lungs were about to burst. Her adrenaline allowed her the awareness and pain resistance she needed as she rolled away while feeling his foot stamp down in the same place she had been lying in.
She walked back a few steps to put some distance between them when she noticed her hand felt cold and lighter. Directing her gaze there, she saw that her sword hand was empty. Looking back towards him, he saw him smiling while holding Desperate in three of his fingers.
"Looking for this?"
"How? W-when did you-"
"When you got up." He answered as he tossed the sword at her and it bounced a couple of times in her palms before she grabbed a secure hold of the hilt. "Come on, stop holding back. You and I know both know you're so much better than this."
Ais's gaze hardened as she put one foot behind her and levelled the flat of her blade with her eyes. She seized this moment to take as many free breaths as she could while she kept an eye on him.
"Come on." He beckoned. "Just say the magic word."
...
"Tempest!" A cocoon of green magical winds erupted around her, blowing her hair upwards as the ground cracked under her.
"Miss Ais is going all out?" Someone in the small crowd said.
"Wow he must be strong! What an honour!"
"She should have done it from the start, otherwise she wouldn't be as injured as she is." Gareth said. He squeezed his hand and smiled. "Seeing this fight makes me want to fight him too you know."
"Perhaps we should challenge him to a duel as well." Finn said jokingly.
"Why don't we arrange it then?"
"What?"
"Let's challenge him as well before we come out of the dungeon. I'm eager to test my strength against his. Don't say you aren't."
"...I think I'd prefer to wait until this fight is over Gareth before I ask anything like that of him."
...
It mattered not for Ais as even with her magic invoked, providing her with a massive boost in speed, she still could not get past. Rather he was now the one dancing around her, landing powerful attacks and causing her injury as he continued to push her back. Blow after blow, parry after parry. The only thing keeping her fighting was her desperation and unyielding will as she persisted in fighting back, even while knowing that he still had not broken a sweat. Whereas she was dripping not only sweat but blood from her wounds as well.
After a combination of sweeps and thrusts that were to fast for her to read, he struck her upside the head and made her flip head over heels and fall on her stomach, her sword clattering as she her world span. Her vision evened out again and she registered a warm, sticky substance rolling down her face. Wiping it way revealed deep red stains on her hand as her blonde hair began to soak in the blood.
She heard his footsteps come to a stop a couple of feet in front of her. She looked up to see him looking down at her with a worried and concerned expression.
"You should stop now Ais." He reasoned. "I didn't want to agree to this spar in the first place for the first four days because I didn't want to see you like this. There is no shame in throwing the towel in, you know."
"No." She gasped out as she tried to haul herself to her feet, although her arms shook trying to hold up her body weight even though she had supernatural strength. "I can still fight. I'm not giving up!"
"I thought Tiona was exaggerating when she said you were stubborn." He sighed. "If I open any more wounds on your body, you might just die from blood loss at this point."
"I need to...need to...become stronger!" She said as her fingers wrapped around Desperate's hilt. "I won't become stronger...if..I don't...go on." She lifted her self on to her legs but couldn't stand up because her legs were shaking so much.
"You really don't seem to ever want to listen to me do you?" He tutted and shook his head.
'But I know this is not her strongest. She has that special skill of hers that allows her to fight above her level...but it's only triggered under specific situations.' He thought. 'Let's see. She obtained that skill by fighting a draconic monster. And every other time she's activated it was when she was faced with a powerful dragon monster...like that time in Memoria Freese with that black dragon Delphyne...but there's no dragons here...unless...black dragons huh?'
A light bulb went off in his mind as he equipped his cape.
"If you keep that mindset, it may just do the opposite." He said to her and she looked at him.
"But only fighting those more powerful than you makes you stronger."
"No doubt it does. But you cannot deny your body the respite it needs. You grow stronger by taking what you've learned and applying it in your next battle. However, that only matters while you're still alive. Retreat does not equate to a surrender. If you're so hellbent on fighting even when you are at fatal disadvantages..." He turned around flourished his cape, making her look at it. "...then you will never overcome your fears."
Ais was met with the image of an Ender Dragon on his cape. But to her it was the face of a black dragon, it's eyes glowing purple with malice. It's mouth full of sharpened teeth open in a cruel sneer as purple flames and mists spilled forth from its mouth. Very much reminiscent of another dragon...a dragon of legends...a monster she'd met long ago...one that was responsible for all the pain she was going through to this day...
This stark similarity suddenly threw her back in time to the day her world came crashing down, they day she'd lost everything and she was left alone in the world, under the predatory and terrifying gaze of a heathen monster, a winged devil that took sadistic pleasure in the suffering of mortals. One that cruelly watched over her with the same sneer as it disregarded her, thinking her too weak and small to even bother do anything about her as it ripped away her parents.
...
In that moment, all the pain and fatigue she felt melted away and a heat in her chest began to roar as her eyes hardened into a cold stare. The shaking in her legs stopped as she stood up and gripped her sword tightly. She felt as if all inhibitions she didn't even know she had previously had just been dropped and she wasted no second calling on her {Ariel} again.
"Tempest!" She shouted harshly as the magical winds surrounded her again, but this time with much greater ferocity than before.
Steve who had begun walking away came to a stop and smiled at the success of his plan.
"Oh." He said as he turned towards her. "You're actually still approaching me, with more energy as well. Perhaps you are stronger than I initially thought."
"Fight me." Ais demanded.
Steve lifted his Netherite sword and smiled. "With pleasure."
...
"Did you see that?" Riveria asked.
"Yeah, somehow her {Avenger} skill was triggered." Gareth said. "It's been a long time since I last saw her do that."
"It must have been the image on his cape." Finn said. "Ais's hatred of dragons is well known to us."
"But how would he know it?" Riveria asked.
"What do you mean?"
"What reason did he have to make his cape appear like that? Doesn't it seem a little too coincidental?"
"Be reasonable Riveria." Finn said. "Only we know about her skill and what activates it. There's no way he could know it too."
"I still don't like it." Riveria narrowed her eyes at the boy. "It was just far too well timed for my comfortability."
...
Ais rained down a storm of blows upon Steve as she peppered him with sword thrusts and tried to move him back. It seemed to the outside person that Steve had been forced onto the defensive as all he was doing was matching the sword strikes with equal speed as the spark show made it difficult to see what was happening.
But both combatants knew the truth. To her frustration, Ais was still failing to make Steve become serious for he was still following her movements easily and even though both he and her could feel her attacks becoming evidently stronger, she felt him countering with just as much power too. She half marvelled, half lamented his bottomless reserves of power as he seemed to pull more and more strength from it.
But her spirit was soaring as the anger and the hatred that had erupted from deep within her as a result of bad memories, slowly turned to excitement and appreciation. She felt the pressure of his battle intent bearing down upon her and it was choking. She could not remember the last time someone was so powerful that it made her feel utterly useless against them.
It only ever used to happen with the executives, like Finn for example who trained her while she as young. But as she now closed the gap between them, her being only a level below him, the thrill of an overwhelming opponent had long since vanished from her life...until now. She began to see Steve in a new light as even though he made it obvious her efforts continued to be fruitless against him, he wasn't mocking or lording it over her.
Now that she paid attention, she could now see that not only was he countering her, he was also deliberately guiding her blade, making her refine her technique as her blows became stronger and stronger.
In the finale, as she felt this new boost of power begin to leave her, she packed all her power and her speed as well as her magic into a single over-head hack as she jumped up so her head and shoulders were above him and swung her sword downwards towards his body. Steve looked like he was about to block when he suddenly moved his sword to his side and opened his arms out, making him completely vulnerable.
Her eyes widened as her sword connected with his exposed shoulder and a small crater was formed underneath them, as a dust cloud blew up. When it resided, the Loki Familia squinted to see a shocking scene. Even though Ais had put all her power behind that strike, it had connected with Steve's body but had had done no damage at all, even with the several boosts she just had. The most she'd done was cut the neck of his T-Shirt but he was completely fine, still smiling as he looked at her.
Ais felt all her strength leave her at this point and she collapsed forwards while letting go of the sword. Desperate clattered behind Steve as he quickly leaned forwards to catch her midfall.
"Woah, woah! Easy." He said as he let her slightly clasp onto his waist and he crouched to then let her slide into his arm as compete exhaustion befell her and she felt the strain from exerting herself in the fight take its toll.
She heard Finn announce the winner and the cries of dismay who betted in her favour while Tiona laughed joyously as she claimed her prizes. She was fixated however on the symbol of strength in whose arms she was at the moment. She focused on the compassionate smile on his face as he looked strangely proud of her.
"You did well Ais. You should be proud." He took out a glass bottle filled with a red liquid from somewhere and popped open the cork. "You are strong. You truly are."
He held up the bottle to her lips and she looked at him questioningly.
"It's a Potion of Healing." He said. "We can't have you staying with those cuts open. Drink this and you will be up on your feet again in a single moment."
She nodded, finding no reason to disbelieve him, still fixed on his face as he carefully guided her trembling hands to hold the bottle and she drank it up. She momentarily looked away again as she tasted the potion. It was not like any other potions she'd had. The taste was strange, yet at the same time pleasant. It had a refreshing sweetness to it, but had an earthy bluntness to it too like mushrooms although it wasn't too strong.
The potion seemed to tickle her tongue a bit too and she could feel it traveling down her oesophagus and pooling in a coolness in her stomach. From her gut spread a tingling coolness followed by a warmth as the pain faded and she felt her wounds close up like stitches as her head became clear again. Her outfit was still bloodstained but she was fresh again which was the important thing.
"Wanna try and stand now?" He said, standing up himself and offering a hand with the same bright smile of his. "I may have gone a bit overboard. It's the first time someone actually challenged me to a spar like that. Not that I haven't been in fights with other people before but, you were unique Ais. You were quite special."
She grasped his hand in acceptance as she hoisted herself to her feet. She was expecting herself to stumble a little bit but she got up completely normal. She held his hand still as he looked her over.
"So, have you found your path to greater strength?" He raised a brow. "Or am I going to be hounded for more spars in the future by you, huh?" He laughed.
She had been having complicated feelings about this person ever since they'd met him four days ago in he dungeon. From afar and near, she'd been observing him and his mannerisms. For someone who was so blatantly powerful as he, he had a great kindness in him too. He was courteous enough to help with washing the cutlery after meal times. Sometimes he even helped the cooks prepare their meals when they were being pressured by hungry adventurers.
And many times he'd gone out of his way to save the lives of her Familia members, including herself as well. She remembered on the previous floor yesterday when a Peluda tried to ambush her and nearly had her skull in its jaws. He'd blitzed in and tore the thing's head off with his bare hands before she even registered it being there. He also helped with the wagons at time too, carrying loads of weight over difficult terrain which would have been a nightmarish job for the adventurers actually tasked with pulling the supplies.
He got along with all of them and had many kinds of humour as well. And he was upfront and honest with what he said. He gave the truth when someone wanted it of him: so much so that he had no qualms about declaring which girls he was attracted to because he treated it as simple truth.
And yes at times he was snappy but only when people got on his nerves like Bete with his rude remarks and some of the girls invading his personal space.
But in this moment especially, the genuine compassion that rested in his eyes as well as his encouraging, bright smile that he gave them all whenever they were going through something, all stood out to her prominently as he regarded her well-being. She was well aware that he was just as capable of being cruel given how he treated some of the monsters down here, but all he seemed to want from them was a genuine friendship and relation.
And in this spar, not only had he defeated her while not trouncing it like a lot of people did, but he helped her improve her technique too. And he had definitely helped her break through her wall as she KNEW she was stronger now. She could feel it in her bones. And all because of this person in front of her.
He was the key. He was her way to new heights. It was only by going up against him would she improve. She held his hand with her other one as well and clasped it in front of her, making him give her a puzzled look.
"You." She answered.
"What?"
"You are my answer. I need you."
...
"...Well great. Looks like it's down this track we're going."
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