My body feels utterly destroyed. Every muscle screams in agony.

The sting hits hard as I slide my gauntlets on, the cold metal biting into the open wounds on my hands.

And Ayu's spar is in a couple of minutes.

Damn it.

I should've stopped earlier. Got too carried away.

My eyes drop to my bare feet, grimy and sore. Still haven't found the time to make new boots. The stench of sweat and blood clings to me like an unwelcome second skin.

Hope Ayu doesn't mind.

Exhaling deeply, I try to steady my breathing. Slowly, I lower myself onto the floor, letting the tension drain away. As I relax, I pull up the status screen.

Status Screen

Stage 1 - 5.961%

Wave control

Personal Output:

3.41 SU

Assisted Bonus (at 91% Merging Rate):

1.69 SU

Bonus from Helmet

: 35%

Total Output:

6.89 SU

Magnetization Efficiency:

97%

Overdrive

Full-State Output:

92%

Physical Combat

Swordsmanship:

1.06 SU

Footwork:

0.99 SU

Wave/Body Synchronization:

96%

Physical Condition (using 1% as 1.000 reference):

1.673

Notable Equipment

Sword:

Indestructible(?) Weight increases with stage progress. EM conductivity (1.0)

King Lobster Gauntlets:

Indestructible(?) Weight increases with stage progress. EM conductivity (2.0)

King Jellyfish Seven-Piece Cape

: Indestructible(?) Weight increases with stage progress(?) EM conductivity (2.0)

No dramatic improvement, but the Physical Condition is definitely climbing. I guess the hellish training is paying off.

I lean back on the floor, my gaze drifting to the makeshift arena nearby.

As I stare at it, a wave hits me.

"On my way."

I smile. Guess this will have to do.

Stretching, I feel my muscles scream in protest, but damn be them—I've got a spar next.

Taking a deep breath, I haul myself up and jump into the arena. I lean against the wooden structure that serves as the border—ropes in a real ring, if you want to get technical.

A few minutes later, Ayu arrives, vaulting effortlessly into the ring on the opposite side.

She pulls her mask off briefly, her smile bright and teasing.

"So," she says, tilting her head slightly, "ready?"

I wouldn't call my current state ready, but…

I smile back and raise my sword, slipping my mask into place. "Ready whenever you are, my love."

"My love? Sweet words won't save you tonight," she chuckles, lowering her mask and unsheathing her blade.

I take a deep breath and push Overdrive to 60%. The pain fades into white noise, a distant hum in the background. Houston's advice echoes in my mind.

I tighten my grip on the sword, feeling my tendrils respond instinctively to my movements.

Ayu dashes straight at me, faster than I anticipated, catching me off guard.

I spot an opening and thrust my blade instinctively.

But then, in a movement that defies logic, her body twists unnaturally, just enough for my blade to graze her. Her sword flashes forward, leaving me no room to dodge.

Her blade stops at my neck.

"Well, that was easy… my love."

I stare at her as she leans back, tilting her head slightly, before calmly walking back to the other corner.

What the heck was that? I briefly lower Overdrive, giving my mind some clarity to think.

I know I was a bit stiff, maybe not fully serious, but… how did she evade like that and merge the movement so seamlessly with her offense?

Wait… her evasion—it's subconscious. Her body reacts on instinct, but if her body insists on attacking at the same time, then…

I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

Ayu stands in the opposite corner, turning around, her eyes gleaming with playful challenge behind the mask.

"Round 2?" she asks playfully.

My eyes slowly narrow. Alright.

Let's get serious.

I push Overdrive to full-state.

Ayu comes at me again, dashing full speed toward me, just like before.

But this time, it feels slower. No… she's not slower. My senses are sharper, stretching each moment longer.

I know I can't attack blindly—she'll see it coming, anticipate it before I even make my move.

No. I need to block every possible move she could make.

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Her sword thrusts toward me, but I sidestep without counterattacking, putting distance between us.

Her tendrils lash out, but I meet them with mine, adding just enough force to push hers back.

She pivots on her left foot, feinting a wide slash, but I catch the intent and raise my leg to block her low kick.

I see it now. As long as I don't attack, her ability doesn't activate. But… I can't stay on the defensive forever.

I thrust a tendril toward her thigh, trying to catch her off guard before she can retract her leg, but her sword is already moving to intercept.

I push harder, sending more tendrils, aiming to block all her options.

But she twists her body, turning sideways, bringing her own tendrils in close to intercept mine.

My tendrils are stronger—I know they can overpower hers.

But Ayu shifts tactics, using her tendrils not to block but to slow mine down. She leans forward instead of retreating, slipping past my net and closing into striking range.

I grit my teeth. Any move I make now, she'll see through it and merge it with her counter.

Dammit.

I shove off the ground hard, launching myself backward.

I leverage my greater speed, creating more distance, and spread my tendrils into a defensive net, blocking her advance.

Ayu doesn't stop. Her foot slams into the ground, and she lunges, closing the distance before I can reposition.

Her elbow cuts through the air toward my temple. I shift, ducking under it, but she's already twisting her hips, her knee shooting toward my ribs.

I sidestep, narrowly avoiding the blow, and counter with a slash aimed at her shoulder. She ducks under it, her sword flashing up in a tight arc.

I parry with a sharp twist of my wrist, the clash reverberating up my arm.

She doesn't give me time to breathe. Her tendrils snake around mine, forcing me to split my focus. I retract mine and lash out with a feint, drawing her guard wide, then strike with a thrust aimed at her chest.

She leans back, evading by millimeters, and her tendrils shoot forward, trying to wrap around my wrist. I yank my arm back, twisting free, and press forward, keeping her on the defensive.

But Ayu doesn't retreat. She steps into my range, slipping past my blade, and throws a gauntlet-clad punch at my jaw. I raise my arm, blocking the blow, but the force jars me, sending a sharp sting through my shoulder.

I retaliate with a spinning slash, using the momentum to push her back. She hops away, her eyes narrowing behind the mask.

A flicker of a grin. "That's all you've got?"

She comes again, faster this time. Her sword arcs toward me, but it's a feint. Her real strike comes low—a sweeping kick aimed at my legs.

I leap over it, twisting midair, and bring my sword down toward her exposed shoulder.

But her body twists unnaturally, her tendrils intercepting my blade just enough to deflect the blow. She counters with a sharp thrust toward my abdomen.

I pivot, her blade grazing past me, and drive my tendrils forward to trap her.

She counters by spinning, her elbow striking out. I dodge back, just barely avoiding the hit, and press forward again, forcing her to give ground.

I need to overwhelm her. Now.

I feint a thrust, forcing her to commit her tendrils, then spin, aiming a powerful slash at her midsection.

Her sword rises to block, but I push through, my strength overpowering her guard. She stumbles, and I press the advantage, driving her toward the edge of the ring.

But just as I think I have her cornered, she pivots, her tendrils shooting out in every direction. One grazes my leg, throwing off my balance, and she rushes in, her sword a blur.

I raise my blade to parry, but her knee slams into my side, knocking the wind out of me.

Her sword flashes again, stopping an inch from my neck.

I freeze.

Ayu tilts her head, her voice light. "Guess that's Round 2, my love."

"Touché," I say, trying to sound calm, though my body is feeling the brunt of everything. My movements are stiff from the earlier training and injuries, and I've been holding back instinctively.

Still, I have to admit—Ayu's new approach to combat, leveraging her skill offensively instead of just defensively, makes her a frightening opponent.

"I expected more from you," she says, a playful glint in her eyes. "When you were fighting that giant jellyfish, you were faster than this. Are you sure you want to keep holding back against me?"

I stare at her, dumbfounded. The giant jellyfish fight? That was way beyond full-state Overdrive!

I shake my head with a chuckle, brushing off the thought.

"Okay, round three?" I ask.

She pauses, her gaze flicking over me. "You're looking pretty stiff. Is it from your training? Hmm…" She taps her chin thoughtfully, then her eyes light up mischievously. "Alright, let's make it interesting. A little motivation. Whoever wins the most rounds tonight gets to make one request—anything they want—and the other can't refuse. How about it?"

Well… that is tempting.

But goddamn. Do I seriously have to push beyond full-state Overdrive with my body in this condition for a spar?

But the offer is…

Alright. Fuck it.

"The offer is on," I say, forcing a grin.

She nods, her own smile brimming with confidence, and moves to the other side of the arena.

I take a deep breath.

Just as Ayu reaches the far corner and presses her foot to the ground, I close my eyes.

I push Overdrive to 120%.

The world calms.

The pain fades.

My body feels free.

I can smell the trees, the faint salt from the distant ocean… and even Ayu's scent.

I listen to the soft touch of her feet against the arena floor, the subtle whistle of her tendrils cutting the air.

My waves reach out, sensing every tiny vibration, every shift in the air. I can see it all without opening my eyes—the way her muscles coil and release, the rhythm of her heartbeat, her breathing, even the faint sway of each strand of her hair.

I can't just think like her. I need to see it all. Every single possibility. Every move she might make. Every outcome of every action.

I need to attack. Not just any attack—a strike so precise, so overwhelming, that no matter how her body reacts, it cannot be avoided.

I know her limits. How fast she can move, how far her tendrils can reach.

I grip my sword tighter.

Darius' training flashes through my mind.

My technique might not be at his level yet. But I'm faster than Ayu. Stronger. My range is greater. I can make up for what I lack with those advantages… and—

She takes one more step.

I dash forward. As fast as I can. Every muscle in my body fires at once, my arm, wrist, and torso moving in perfect sync. My waves channel through my sword and gauntlets, amplifying the momentum.

All my tendrils move preemptively, intercepting hers from the start. I sense her leaning back, reacting to my dash—but I already know it's not enough.

She raises her sword.

Not enough.

I slash.

And then stop.

My blade hovers inches from her ribs, my body taut, frozen mid-strike.

I exhale, releasing the breath I hadn't realized I was holding, and lower Overdrive.

As I retract my sword, my heart pounds, and my body protests the sudden exertion—the force it took to push so hard and stop so abruptly.

I meet her gaze.

There's shock in her eyes at first—but then… something else. A flicker of awe.

"I guess round three is mine," I say between ragged breaths.

"Well… that was… damn, how are you so fucking fast?" she laughs, the sound light and genuine.

I chuckle, managing a grin. "Well, I've got some very good motivation."

I can almost feel her pouting behind her mask. "You… that's cheating. How can you hold back so much before and then pull that off? You baited me, huh? That's not very manly of you."

I laugh harder. "Well, someone told me to go all out."

She shakes her head, walking back to the other corner. "Fine. Have it your way. Let's see how many times you can pull that off."

"Pull this off? As many times as I'll do that in bed after we finish here," I tease, smirking.

I can imagine the blush spreading under her mask, but then I catch the mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh? So, like three times? Four max? Easy win for me, then."

This girl…

Alright.

I take a deep breath, resetting my stance.

Here we go again.

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