"Huff..."
I inhaled softly, eyes closed, my body lowered with one leg thrown backward while the other firmly held the ground, one hand clasping the sheath attached to my left while the other held the hilt of the katana.
With my eyes still shut, my other senses heightened, skin prickling with the cold breeze, the sll of flowers, and the presence of a person beside .
"Concentrate."
Lauryn whispered softly, correcting my posture with her hands. She bent my body more by grabbing my shoulders before moving back.
"Now, try it."
She instructed, making gently open my eyes, looking at the small, dark gray stone placed three ters away.
Holding my breath, I rotated the mana within my body as she taught , causing my skin to alight with a silver hue.
Gathering mana in my legs, I let it accumulate until I felt a slight ache in my bones.
"....Huff."
Exhaling softly, I burst the mana, my body ca alive with it, and my speed increased as I took a step, reaching the gray stone in an instant.
It was a terrible and wonderful feeling at the sa ti.
Mana beca a storm inside ; my blood thundered in my ears, the burst of mana reached my hands, and at that exact mont, I flicked the hilt, taking the katana out, slashing horizontally.
The rock sliced easily, with one part falling down.
"Arghh!!"
But the aftermath ca soon enough, as my entire arm started to hurt while my left shoulder dislocated from its place, making grab it and crouch down on the ground.
"Stand up."
I shifted my focus back to her as she instructed with a detached voice.
"B-but—."
"I said stand up, Azariah." She instructed again, her hand clasping tightly on the katana in her hand.
'...What's up with her?'
Climbing back to my feet while suppressing my groan, I thought, looking at her.
"...Show your hand." Placing her katana down, she ordered, walking close to .
".. Arghh." A groan escaped my mouth as she jerked my dislocated arm close to her.
Snap!!
The sound of sothing snapping resonated, and I didn't know what it was until I felt my shoulder hurting like hell.
'...Fuck!!'
I barely controlled myself from screaming while feeling the pain of my arm returning to its socket.
"You haven't learned half of the first style." She complained, shaking her head, looking down at , "...And here I thought you would learn it before the competition."
"Your sword art is literally breaking my body." I rebuked, glaring at her, "...How do you expect to learn it that easily?"
"Aren't you her son?" Mockingly she comnted, her eyes glaring at , "...One of a kind talent, blessed when you were a child?"
"..."
What's with her?
....Since the day she returned from her hotown, she hasn't been the sa.
She beca colder.
"...Your training for today ends here." Turning around, she bellowed, walking out of the training ground.
"Sigh..."
A heavy sigh escaped as I dragged my tired body to the bench placed on the sides.
'...Three days, huh?'
Sitting on the bench, I mused, taking out a water bottle before gulping it down.
...Only three days are left for the clubhouse competition.
And honestly, there is no chance for our team to win.
'...But that's not my problem.'
If anything, winning it is the least of my priorities.
All I need to do is survive from Hysteria organization.
[...Are you going to be alright all alone?]
'...I will be, probably.'
And it's not like I can ask anyone for help.
[...You can]
'...But I will not.'
I will not risk soone else's life because of , especially not those who are close to .
....I am already walking on thin ice by being around them.
I don't want them to die because of .
...I don't want my mother to kill them.
[...You are kind]
'...I am not.' Rubbing my sides burning in pain, I replied.
...If I had been kind... I wouldn't have done all those horrible things.
'...It's been so long since I drank sothing good.'
Looking at the water bottle, I mused. Since I got the ga's mories, I haven't been drinking like I used to.
...When I really thought I would die in a few years.
The ti when only drinking kept alive away from all the burdens.
'..That's depressing.'
I shook my head before throwing the empty bottle in the dustbin without moving from my seat.
"Sigh.." I sighed, leaning on the bench, resting my head, closing my eyes.
'...Not again.'
I grumbled in my thoughts as I felt soone sitting beside .
Opening one of my eyes, I peeked beside where a silver-haired girl sat wearing a black full-sleeved shirt clinging to her body with matching leggings.
"...What do you want?" I asked, making her crimson eyes focus on .
"...Why are you leaving when Athela is training?" She probed, squinting her eyes.
"...You are doing the sa." I rebuked, glancing at her.
She didn't reply. Instead, she reached her hand out and started digging her nails into my arm.
"What are you doing?" Frowning, I asked, feeling her nails scratching my arm.
She glanced at before hesitantly removing her hand, whispering, "...Nothing."
...Was she trying to scratch again?
'...Wait.'
"Hey!!"
I turned my body towards her, grabbing her hand before folding her sleeve.
"..."
...Her forearm.
It was covered with fresh bruises and scratches, a sharp contrast to her porcelain skin.
She is harming herself again.
...This fucking idiot!!
'...No.'
I stopped myself from yelling at her as I removed my hands away from her.
...She doesn't deserve it.
...Not anymore.
"....."
Without saying anything, I stood up and walked away from her, not bothering to comnt on her injury.
"...I can't recognize you anymore." I halted my steps hearing her soft whisper.
"..."
I remained silent, walking away as I felt her eyes lingering on .
'...She is going back to her old habits.'
...Hurting herself.
I thought she had overco that. I already gave her the reason to stop hating herself, but it looks like it's not working now.
'...Looks like I need to remind her again.'
But this ti, things will be different.
Because she isn't weak anymore.
"Hey, Az!!"
I halted my steps hearing Ashlyn calling from behind.
I looked back and found her wearing the training uniform.
"...Practice?" As she arrived, walking beside , I asked.
"..Yes." Nodding, she replied, "What about you?"
"Training as well."
"...You are getting taller." She complained, comparing her height with mine, "..You weren't this tall when we first t."
"...When you almost punched my face?" I recalled, making her blush in embarrassnt.
"T-that wasn't intentional, okay." She stamred, hitting my shoulder lightly, "...You were the one acting like a creep."
"..How can you say that?" I touched my chest, feigning pain.
"...Would you stop your acting?" She yowled, throwing her hair behind haughtily.
"...Yeah, here I am hurt by your words and you are calling this acting." I replied with a bilious look on my face.
"...By the way." She said, looking at , "I can make a creep stay away."
"How?"
...Wait!
"Haha." She laughed out loud, walking slightly faster to avoid getting caught by .
"....."
'..How can I fall for such a simple trick?'
Hiding my face with my hand, I thought.
"...Anyway, if we face off against each other." Halting her steps in front of , she announced, "...I will go all out to win against you."
"Aww, how cute."
"...What?"
"...You thinking that you can win against by going all out." Grinning widely, I replied, looking at her.
She smiled back as well, leaning forward with her hand behind her back, "...We will see that, mister."
"That we will."
"Your dormitory is here." Gesturing towards the building, she said.
"...You want to drop you to your dormitory?" I asked, looking at her.
"...No, it's fine." She replied, "It's early in the morning, nothing will happen."
"I see, et later then."
"Yeah, bye."
[...She can't win against you?]
'...Unless she awakens, no.'
[...You an awakened Ashlyn can beat you, even with your blessing?]
'...Yes.'
[....]
...Well, maybe I could win against her if my body gets healed, but that's not possible.
....That's why she is the best at shield.
Walking inside the dormitory, I moved towards my room, arriving there before opening the door.
"Haaah."
And as soon as I reached inside, I imdiately fell on the ground, gasping for air.
"ARGHH." The agonizing pain from the side of my body made groan in pain as my body fell down helplessly on the ground.
With difficulty, I took off my shirt, finding a large golden-colored tattoo starting to engrave on my skin.
'Fuck!!'
As the golden tattoo continued to burn my skin, I couldn't help but curse, feeling all the mana in my body starting to get sucked by the tattoo.
"Huff.."
I tried to control my breathing but failed miserably as I lay motionless on the floor with my eyes looking at the ceiling.
The ti stretched for a long ti before a balloon of pure energy escaped from the tattoo, forming a shape above .
My eyelids felt heavy as I closed my eyes while my consciousness started to drift away.
But before I lost myself in darkness, I felt a small weight on my chest while hearing a child's voice echoing in my ear.
"...Dada?"
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