Later that day, Nerva came to pick up Umbra to lead her to meet her new teacher. Kai and Scry naturally followed, eager to see what that would look like.

  Nerva guided the three of them deeper into the city until they reached an enclosed green backyard behind what looked like a restaurant.

  “Wait here, I’ll go grab her,” Nerva chuckled as he slipped through the back entrance.

  “Did you already decide on a weapon?” Kai asked, confused.

  “I did not. I fought with my fists when we sparred. That felt good, though,” Umbra replied, equally puzzled.

  After a short while, Nerva returned, with a massive, burly woman behind him. Her muscles were even bigger than Nerva’s or Theodor’s.

  Kai stared, amazed at such a woman.

  “Everyone, this is Suzy, an old member of my adventuring party. She was once one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in Eastsun,” Nerva said with a smile as he introduced her.

  “Oh, look at this cutie. Hello, boy, I’m Suzy, wanna play?” She smiled at Kai, but Umbra moved swiftly between them.

  “What do you think you’re doing with my brother?” Umbra growled.

  “Well, aren’t you the overprotective sister?” Suzy chuckled, trying to push Umbra aside with her shoulder, only for Umbra to dip into the shadows and reappear behind her, punching out. Suzy laughed, ducked, and swept her leg, sending Umbra crashing to the ground.

  “Not bad. You pass,” Suzy said with a grin.

  Umbra snarled. “So that was a test? You didn’t want to take my brother?” Her eyes narrowed in confusion.

  “Well, it was a test, but I wouldn’t mind spending some time with this strong-looking brother of yours.” Suzy winked at Kai, who shivered.

  “Hello, Miss Suzy. I’m Kai, and I’m not interested.” He bowed quickly.

  “Hahaha, ignore her, Kai. She’s just kidding,” Nerva laughed, elbowing Suzy. “Right?”

  “Yes, yes. Just kidding.” She winked again, making Kai even more uncomfortable.

  Scry, is she human? I cannot read her at all, Kai asked through their link.

  She is, but her core seems damaged. Right now, she’s a Master Knight only in body. Her mana is very weak, Scry explained as he observed the woman.

  “Nerva, you bastard! Did you think you could sneak away without me?!” A loud shout rang out as Theodor entered the backyard.

  “Oooh, it’s my cutie, Theo!” Suzy exclaimed while Theo paled.

  “Do you see now why I didn’t invite you?” Nerva laughed as Theo tried to escape, only to be hugged tightly by Suzy.

  “Hey, Suzy. Long time,” he chuckled nervously.

  “Did you miss me, cutie?” She squeezed him firmly before letting go with a smile.

  “Sure, sure, I missed you,” Theo said, clearing his throat.

  “Can we get on with this? Who’s training me, and in what?!” Umbra shouted, already pissed about losing to the woman.

  “I asked Suzy to train you in hand-to-hand combat, since that’s what you enjoyed most when we sparred. Try it today and see if it suits you. What do you think?” Nerva said.

  “Alright!” Umbra nodded.

  “Everyone, let’s sit here in the shade while they get to know each other. I’ve got some nice drinks prepared,” Nerva smiled. He couldn’t wait to see these two crazy women fight it out.

  Kai and Theo nodded and sat on chairs at the back of the garden.

  ***

  “Well then, let me formally introduce myself. I am Suzanne ‘Suzy’ Blackrind. I specialize in hand-to-hand combat; my specific combat style is the School of the Titan God, and it’s very rare for one to master. It focuses on fast, explosive attacks designed to finish opponents in as few strikes as possible. Every move is a killing blow.” Suzy’s voice carried confidence like steel.

  “I like the sound of that! I’m Umbra Argent, a Divine Beast who wields Abyssal Thunderfire and shadow aura.” Umbra smirked, her tail flicking behind her.

  “What? You’re a beast?” Suzy blinked, clearly surprised. “I’d never have guessed… though, I suppose the tail gives it away.” Her eyes narrowed, trying to reconcile Umbra’s humanoid form with her claim.

  “It’s a long story. Let’s just say I’m… special.” Umbra beamed with pride.

  “Alright then, let’s spar. You’ll see my style, and I’ll gauge your strength.” Suzy’s tone shifted to command as two spiked gauntlets shimmered into existence on her fists.

  Umbra grinned and summoned her Shadow Armor, reinforcing it with a swirling aura of darkness. Her wings unfurled with a snap, and she launched into the sky.

  “If you think I can’t reach you up there, you’re wrong.” Suzy crouched low, muscles coiling like springs. Then, boom, she exploded upward like a meteor, the ground cracking beneath her feet.

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  Umbra smirked and conjured a barrage of Darkfire Nova orbs, hurling them toward the ascending warrior.

  Suzy laughed and roared, “First Fist Series: Broken Titan!” A thin yellow aura flared around her body and gauntlets as she struck once. It looked like a simple punch, but the shockwave disintegrated the nearest orbs and blew the rest apart.

  Umbra’s expression hardened. She summoned an army of shadow clones and dove alongside them into the fray. Each clone carried the destructive force of Abyssal Thunderfire, corrupting mana and draining life force with every strike.

  The clones swarmed Suzy, who had landed like a thunderclap. Her fists blurred as she unleashed a storm of blows. “First Fist Series: Titan’s Flurry!” she bellowed, her speed doubling, scattering clones with every strike. Still, some attacks slipped through, scorching her tanned skin and tearing flesh.

  Suzy roared, ignoring the wounds. She spun mid-air and lashed out with a roundhouse kick, intercepting Umbra’s charge. “Second Kick Series: Piercing Arrow!” Her heel slammed into Umbra’s chest. The Shadow Armor and aura absorbed part of the impact, but Umbra still coughed blood as she was hurled skyward, soaring over the capital.

  Umbra stabilized herself with a furious beat of her wings, cursing under her breath. Damn her. She’s not even using mana, just raw skill and body strength. I’ll show her! Her abyssal core pulsed violently.

  “Life Eater!” A shadowy scythe materialized in her grip, wreathed in black aura. Folding her wings tight, Umbra dove like a demon from the nine hells, her speed tearing the air apart.

  Suzy grinned, eyes blazing with battle lust. “That’s it! Go all out!”

  Suzy unleashed what little aura she had left and laughed like a battle-crazed titan. “Full Body Series: Titan’s End!”

  She drove both fists forward as a colossal figure of yellow earthen stone manifested behind her, a Titan God phantom. Its massive arms mirrored her strike, condensing raw aura into a single, devastating golden fist that tore through the air toward the diving Umbra.

  Umbra snickered, eyes glowing with abyssal fury. She slashed three times, sending out deathly blades of darkness, each one a scythe of annihilation that drained life from everything it touched, even stripping mana from the very air.

  ***

  “Are they fucking crazy?!” Theodor shot to his feet, panic flashing in his eyes.

  Kai and Nerva followed instantly.

  “We need to stop this!” Kai shouted, wings erupting from his back as he drew Noxblade and launched himself toward the two combatants.

  Nerva and Theo unleashed their own aura and weapons, intercepting the clash before it could obliterate half the district and kill anyone.

  Kai’s blade carved through the sky, releasing Ignis Fulgur and Aqua Guillotine, both wrapped in his violet aura, slamming into the golden titan fist.

  Nerva summoned Aegis, his shimmering shield intercepting two of Umbra’s abyssal arcs, though the impact cracked its surface, shocking him to his core.

  Theo roared, releasing Pyris, flames devouring the remnants of both attacks before they could spread.

  When the dust settled, Umbra landed hard beside Suzy, both panting heavily, blood dripping from Umbra’s lips, and Suzy’s skin scorched and torn, yet her grin remained feral.

  ***

  Theodor landed hard beside the two, his face twisted in anger.

  ? “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Sparring, or trying to kill yourselves and half the district?!”

  Umbra scratched the back of her head awkwardly, smiling sheepishly.

  ? “Apologies… I lost myself a bit.”

  Theo exhaled, his fury softening as he caught her embarrassed grin. He even managed a small smile in return.

  Meanwhile, Nerva hauled Suzy to her feet, his voice booming with frustration.

  ? “Really, Suzy?! Using your signature move with your body? Against a Divine Beast?! What were you thinking?”

  Suzy shrugged, still grinning like a lunatic. “Hey, hey, I’m not the one to blame. This girl is something else! That last attack? If it had landed, it wouldn’t have gone well for me. Honestly!”

  Kai stepped forward, his expression tense. “Nerva, she’s not wrong. My third circle reacted to that attack. It felt like the absolute opposite of life, a pure death energy.” His voice carried confusion and a hint of awe.

  Theo turned to Umbra, his tone gentler now. “Umbra, dear… where did you learn something like that?”

  Umbra tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. “It just popped into my mind after I evolved. I thought it was a bloodline ability of my Divine Beast race. It’s not?”

  Scry floated closer, his voice sharp with disbelief. “You birdbrain, there’s nothing normal about this! That attack was pure death energy. And what’s even more incredible? As it consumed mana and life around it, the energy didn’t vanish; it flowed back into your body through the link with the attack. It’s… astonishing. Worth studying!”

  Theo chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, having a strong attack is always good.”

  Umbra grinned widely. “Yes! You understand me fully!”

  Theo beamed back, clearly enjoying her enthusiasm, until Nerva cut in, his tone dry. “Alright, enough flirting. So, what do you two think?”

  Suzy wiped blood from her lip, her grin feral. “Her attacks are strong. I’ve got nothing against teaching her.”

  Umbra nodded eagerly. “I like her style. I want to learn.”

  Suzy laughed, eyes gleaming with excitement. “She’s fierce and headstrong, perfect for my techniques. I’ll just need to figure out how her shadow aura interacts with Titan God skills instead of the Earth aura. But we’ve got time.”

  Nerva clapped his hands, satisfied. “Good. Starting tomorrow, you two begin training. Today, we need to get your weapons made. Have you decided what you want?”

  Umbra pointed at Suzy’s gauntlets without hesitation. “Something like that.”

  Suzy threw her head back and laughed. “Hehe, yes, my student! That’s the way!”

  Theo groaned while Kai chuckled under his breath.

  “Alright, let’s go then. Suzy, Umbra can find her way tomorrow. If you need anything, send a message. Bye for now.” Nerva led the group out, leaving Suzy standing alone in the wrecked backyard, mana twisting and swirling like a storm.

  She smiled warmly, eyes glinting with anticipation. This will be fun. Thank you, Nerva…

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