For a brief second, silence reigned over the field.
'Finally... we made this bitch bleed.'
Judas thought as Alfia gently traced the scratch with her finger, a thin line of crimson marring her pale skin.
The drop of blood on his gauntlet shimmered faintly under the light... proof that his strike had connected, even if just barely.
"No way..."
Belle muttered, her voice trembling with disbelief.
For someone who had endured her aunt's brutal training since childhood, the sight of that single drop felt unreal.
The image of her invincible aunt... the woman who stood untouchable above all... had finally cracked.
Even Ais stood frozen mid-step, her grip tightening around her sword.
The reality of what they had just done settled in.
It was just a drop of blood, something small and meaningless to anyone else.
But when the one bleeding was Alfia, even that tiny amount carried weight.
A feat that even a high-grade Level 6 would struggle to achieve... they had done together.
"So... you finally managed to touch me."
A low chuckle escaped Alfia's lips, quiet but sharp enough to cut through the tension.
"I guess we got lucky."
Judas replied, exhaling sharply, trying to mask the pain in his ribs.
Then, without warning, the atmosphere shifted.
The air thickened... heavy, suffocating... as a chilling pressure erupted from Alfia's body.
Her eyes glinted with a dangerous light.
"That you think this is enough..."
Her voice was calm, but the ground beneath her feet cracked with each step she took forward.
"...shows you lot still have a long way to go."
Judas barely had time to brace himself.
"I guess I have to take it up a notch."
Before he could react, her figure blurred and vanished.
A sudden gust tore through the air... and then...
BAM!
A devastating kick slammed into his side, launching him across the field.
"Guh—!"
He hit the ground hard, the shock rippling through his body like a wave of lightning.
He rolled several times before planting his gauntlets into the ground, barely stopping his momentum.
Dust billowed around him as he tried to push himself up, vision blurring.
His breathing was ragged, his body screaming in pain.
'Yeah, we're in for a long day.'
He thought with an awkward grin as he groggily pushed himself back to his feet.
His muscles ached, and every breath stung, but he couldn't afford to rest.
Ahead of him, Ais and Belle were already back in the fight... two blurs of motion trying to withstand Alfia's relentless attacks
The gray-haired woman moved with terrifying grace, every step sharp and deliberate, her strikes carving through the air like blades.
She wasn't lying when she said she'd "take it up a notch."
This was no longer training... it was survival.
"Gyaak!"
Judas's eyes snapped toward the sound just in time to see Belle get blasted off her feet.
Her small frame spun helplessly through the air until he moved in a burst of speed, catching her before she could slam into the ground.
"You alright, Belle?"
His tone was calm, almost gentle, but his eyes stayed sharp and alert as he met her gaze.
"Ah! I–I'm alright!"
Realizing she was leaning against his chest, Belle's cheeks instantly turned crimson.
'That rustic, manly smell...'
'He's so close!'
Her thoughts ran wild for a moment, the warmth of his arm steadying her making her feel faint.
"If you can still move, let's keep going... but if not, I don't blame you for wanting to take a rest."
Judas's voice cut through her daze, grounding her back to the situation around them.
Seeing his focused expression, Belle clenched her fists.
"My body still hurts, but with my skill... I think I can take it."
She didn't want to be left behind... not now, not when he was fighting right in front of her.
"Good. Just don't push yourself too hard..."
He turned and charged forward again, aura flaring faintly as dust and wind trailed behind his movement.
'Judas...'
Her heart pounded faster.
Then she shifted her gaze... to her aunt, to Ais, to Hestia watching from afar.
'Yes... that's right. I'm no longer alone.'
With renewed resolve, Belle straightened her posture, brushed the dust from her skirt, and dashed after him... her crimson eyes burning with determination.
...
If you were to ask Judas whether the added presence of Ais, a level 5 first-class adventurer, lessened the pressure of their training...
His answer would be a firm no.
Alfia was a master of her craft... an absolute monster when it came to combat control.
Every time she faced someone, she adjusted her rhythm, power, and tempo to perfectly match their limits... just enough to push them past it, setting the difficulty to suit each individual perfectly.
It didn't matter whether you were a level one rookie, or even a level five veteran... her fists never showed a hint of mercy.
Hours had passed since the session began... the dark sky had turned blue, and the sun now hung over their heads.
The training field looked like a miniature battlefield... craters, cracks, and shattered stone littered the ground.
Surprisingly, the first to get knocked out was Ais.
Despite her speed and endurance, even she couldn't withstand the sheer intensity for long.
Then, not long after, Belle collapsed as well, her body finally giving in to exhaustion and pain.
Now, both girls were resting by the wall, being tended to by Hestia, who looked somewhere between worried and horrified.
That left only one person still standing... or rather, still trying to.
Judas Spade, battered and bloodied, stood his ground before Alfia.
His breath came out ragged, his muscles screamed in protest, yet his eyes still burned with unshaken resolve.
"Congratulations, my dear disciple. How does it feel to be the last one standing?"
Alfia's voice was calm, her eyes still closed.
"..."
Judas didn't respond... he was far too exhausted even to speak.
"No words? Such a shame."
As wisps of smoke rose from his body, Alfia took a measured step... and then vanished from sight.
'!'
'On the right!'
Judas screamed in his mind, twisting instinctively, and spotted Alfia already poised to strike.
'Fuck! She intends to knock me unconscious... I can't dodge that!'
He gritted his teeth and crossed his arms, bracing for the impact.
Just as he prepared for the worst—
A loud thud echoed in his ears... someone's body had slammed against the ground.
Yet the pain he was bracing for... never came.
"Huh?"
Judas slowly lowered his arms, confusion tightening his brows.
"What... happened?"
The words slipped out before he even realized he said them.
When he looked down...
Alfia was on the floor.
Sprawled. Motionless.
Her pale hair spread like a broken halo around her.
A dark pool of blood was already spreading beneath her, soaking into the stone.
"Alfia...?"
Judas widened his eyes as disbelief washed over him.
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