Eliosphere crashed violently through a cliff face before finally coming to a halt beneath a pile of shattered stone. For several agonizing seconds she couldn't move. Her remaining wing twitched weakly, blood soaking the rocky ground beneath her as every breath sent a burning pain through her chest.
"My... wing..."
She reached behind herself with trembling fingers. Nothing. Only warm blood. Her vision blurred, the pain so overwhelming that even her healing ability struggled to keep pace.
"...She's... a monster..."
Her breathing became ragged. Green mana slowly surrounded her body once more, desperately trying to reconstruct damaged flesh. It wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.
Then she felt it. An overwhelming pressure. Her instincts screamed before her mind could process why. Slowly, she lifted her head.
Vexion stood several meters away, silently watching. Those crimson eyes held no excitement, no hatred, no bloodlust. Only cold indifference. Like someone observing an insect.
She began walking forward. One step. Two. Three. Every footstep echoed through the shattered mountain. Eliosphere instinctively backed away, her palms scraping against the ground.
"No..." she whispered. "No..."
Her heart pounded violently. For the first time in years, she felt genuine fear. Not because she would lose, but because she genuinely believed this woman was capable of killing her—even during training.
Vexion stopped several feet away. She looked down, her voice soft.
"You should've left Master out of it."
Eliosphere gritted her teeth. "I... I was only teasing—"
"I know."
Vexion smiled. That smile only made Eliosphere feel colder.
"I know. That's why I only used half my strength. I forgave the first joke. The second one... you made because you thought I wouldn't mind."
Her smile never disappeared.
"I do. I mind very much."
She raised her foot.
BOOM!!
Her heel came crashing down onto Eliosphere's head. The mountain beneath them exploded. Blood sprayed across the rocks. Eliosphere screamed.
Vexion didn't stop. She calmly stepped onto the center of her back. The pressure alone made Eliosphere cough another mouthful of blood.
"...Still alive." Vexion sounded almost impressed. She slowly increased the pressure beneath her foot. Bones groaned. The stone underneath cracked apart.
Nearby, Jurian felt his grip tighten around the hilt of his sword. "...Enough..." Even Gorgon frowned. "...She already won."
Amber quietly lowered her head. Lexa merely sighed. "I knew she'd do this."
Elric swallowed. "...Shouldn't Master stop her?"
Lexa shook her head. "No. Master already gave her an order. Hold back. And she is."
Jurian looked at her in disbelief. "...This... is holding back?"
Lexa nodded without hesitation. "If Master hadn't limited her... this fight would've ended in seconds."
Silence followed. Even Aishwani couldn't deny it. Vexion hadn't once used any flashy ability. She hadn't even used her strongest abilities. Everything so far had simply been physical force.
Meanwhile, Vexion slowly lowered herself. Her fingers gently reached toward Eliosphere's remaining wing.
Eliosphere's eyes widened. "No... No... Please—"
Her fingers wrapped around it. She pulled slightly. Eliosphere screamed before anything had even happened.
At that exact moment, a gentle hand rested upon Vexion's shoulder.
"...That's enough."
Everything stopped. Vexion froze. Not because someone interrupted her. Not because of the words. Her instincts screamed. Danger. Her body unconsciously tensed. For the briefest moment, every muscle in her body prepared to kill.
Then she slowly turned her head. Aishwani smiled gently.
"...You've already won."
Vexion stared at her.
Sighing 'She's like Master, a Mythical Being'...
She slowly released Eliosphere's wing. "...Tch. I was just beginning to enjoy myself."
Aishwani smiled helplessly before carefully lifting the battered fairy into her arms. One glance was enough—broken ribs, fractured jaw, one wing missing, countless internal injuries. Even she couldn't help but wince.
Moments later, she appeared before Dante. Her calm eyes met his.
"...Why didn't you stop your subordinate?"
Dante looked up lazily. "...Why would I?"
Aishwani frowned. "She was clearly no longer fighting."
Dante shrugged. "You say dumb shit... you get dumb shit outcomes. In her case... she simply got the shit beaten out of her."
Jurian rubbed his forehead. "...Winning and being cruel aren't the same thing. If she'd already lost... why continue?"
Dante leaned back against his stone throne. "What use is training... if it doesn't simulate reality? Enemies don't stop because you've surrendered. They don't stop because you're injured. They stop... when they're satisfied."
He shrugged. "If V had met someone like herself... would they have shown mercy? No. So why pretend?"
Jurian couldn't answer immediately. He disliked the reasoning. Unfortunately, he couldn't completely deny it either.
Aishwani looked down at Eliosphere, then toward Vexion. She sighed inwardly. 'Cruel... but predictable.' She had seen the exchange before the fight. Eliosphere had intentionally provoked Vexion—specifically by bringing Dante into it.
A possessive woman. Obsessively loyal. Emotionally unstable. That had been the worst possible target.
She looked toward Eliosphere. "You antagonized the one thing she treasures most. Be thankful this was training."
Her eyes shifted toward Vexion. "And... take pride. You're facing one of the strongest first-years in the Academy."
Vexion blinked before quietly looking away. "...Hmph."
Dante smiled. "Good girl."
The terrifying aura surrounding Vexion disappeared instantly. She turned toward him. Her cold expression melted into a bright smile.
"Hehe."
Everyone stared. Jurian blinked. "...How... does someone change personalities that quickly?"
Even Gorgon looked genuinely unsettled. Only moments ago she had looked ready to tear someone apart. Now she looked like an innocent young woman seeking praise.
Lexa simply sighed. "...You get used to it."
Dante snapped his fingers. The surrounding space distorted. An absurdly dense concentration of mana flooded the mountains. Denser and purer. Matter itself responded to his will.
Everyone watched in stunned silence. Blood flow increased. Broken bones reformed. Flesh stitched itself together. Muscles regenerated. Even Eliosphere's missing wing slowly reconstructed itself feather by feather until it appeared as though it had never been torn away.
Vexion wasn't really injured , traces of poison had been in her body but it was being expelled by Vexion herself, End the of the day her physique was absurd and she was way stronger , Poison couldn't do more than the level of the user
Less than ten seconds later, both women stood perfectly healthy. Not even a scar remained.
Jurian's pupils narrowed. Again... just what level is this...?
Aishwani remained silent. She had witnessed the healing before. Even so, seeing it twice only made it more unsettling.
Dante himself didn't appear impressed. He simply rested one elbow on his stone throne before lazily scratching his cheek.
Eliosphere slowly flexed her restored wing. She bowed deeply.
"...Thank you, My Lord."
Then she turned toward Vexion. A trace of lingering fear remained in her eyes.
"...I apologize. I was rude."
Vexion smiled pleasantly. "It's fine. I managed to calm myself."
Jurian almost choked. That's what she calls calming herself...?
Amber quietly looked away. Elric scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Even Gorgon silently thanked whatever gods watched over barbarians that he hadn't joked about Dante earlier.
Dante suddenly clapped his hands together. Everyone looked toward him. A grin slowly spread across his face.
"Now... onto the main event."