"Huh. I'm bleeding." Zain said as he looked at his right hand. He looked at the sword in Rhaelis's hand and wondered why she covered herself with aura instead of the blade, until he saw it.
"Oh, I see. Your sword is an artifact. You covered yourself with aura instead of doing [Aura Blade] on your sword because your sword absorbs aura." Zain said as he pointed at Rhaelis's sword.
"You figured it out. So what."
"You increased the sharpness of your sword without diminishing your strength. You're smart." Zain said as he lowered his hand and nodded in acknowledgement.
"You're strong. Time to be serious."
*FLESH STEP* *ONE SLASH*
Rhaelis covered herself with aura and use continuous one slash to attack Zain. Zain can't counter that but he can block it. No matter how many he blocked, he still got cut. Zain realise that if he doesn't try to fight back, he might lose. He realised he needs to step up.
*REGENERATION*
Zain's cuts began to heal visible to the naked eye. Rhaelis saw that and was surprised or amused. Zack as well as other adventurers saw that and began to murmur around themselves.
"My turn."
*FLASH STEP*
Zain used flash step and closed the distance. He threw punches which Rhaelis could block but can't dodge. The fight looked too fast to the other adventurers and Zack was trying to follow the fight but even to him, the fight was still fast.
"Since you called out your move, I should do the same but be careful."
"*DAWNBREAKER TECHNIQUE*"
"*FIRST ART - FIRST LIGHT*"
Zain attacked Rhaelis in the gut as his technique activated. Rhaelis couldn't dodge it and took the hit head on. After she was punched, she bled on her mouth and she realised that she was bleeding from the inside.
*FIRST ART - FIRST LIGHT*
*FIRST ART - FIRST LIGHT*
*FIRST ART - FIRST LIGHT*
Zain threw continuous of those punches and Rhaelis couldn't dodge them. She tried to protect the area that was about to be puch with aura and that punch disrupted the flow of the aura but it still lessened the impact. If the impact before felt like being hit by a speeding baseball, now it felt like being hit be speeding soccer ball.
Rhaelis tries to do anything but she couldn't before Zain wouldn't let her. Zain kept throwing those monstrous punches and Rhaelis tried to do everything to lessen the impact which was working.
Zain thought that it probably looks like he's bullying her. Zain took a step back fr Rhaelis to catch her breath. Rhaelis stagnant when she tried to stand straight but she wouldn't allow herself to fall to the ground.
"You're strong." Zain said that to Rhaelis but Rhaelis thought she was mocking her which made her angry.
Zain saw that her face was angry and he thought she probably misunderstood him. Zain instructed everyone near the wall to move away from that side of the wall.
*Dawnbreaker Technique: First Art*
*FISRT LIGHT*
Zain was 10 meters away from the wall and he punch towards the wall which created a hole on the wall. Everyone realised that Rhaelis has been taking those hit head on without dying or surrendering to Zain.
"Well I said you're strong, I wasn't mocking you or something. I was telling the truth." Zain said to Rhaelis with respect towards Rhaelis. Rhaelis sheathed her sword.
________
Dawnbreaker Technique: First Art - First Light
The user condenses aura into the fist and coats it in a denser outer layer. Upon impact, the outer layer bursts first, amplifying force and driving the remaining energy directly into the target.
________
Rhaelis walked towards Zain in a stagnant manner.
"You won. You got my recommendation." Rhaelis said a walked towards Zack. The was a lot of murmurs when the fight stopped.
"Lucas, let's go and process you promotion." The guildmaster said as he gestured Zain to follow him.
Zain walked towards Rhaelis and touched her back. Rhaelis didn't need to turn around to know who it was but still looked at him
*HEAL*
Rhaelis began to heal. If she had bruises on herself, they definitely got heal. The only thing that didn't heal was her exhaustion. Heal can only heal the damage that was done within certain time and cannot heal mental exhaustion. Her physical exhaustion is partially healed, she just needs a simple rest.
Rhaelis felt that she was being healed and didn't push it away. Zain remove his hand when he was done.
They arrived at the reception. The process went smooth because both S-Rank adventurers were at the reception. All they needed to do was write their names on the paper and signed them, then the process is slightly finished.
Zain gave away his Adventure Card and template to receive new ones. He received platinum template and silver card. The silver card only belongs to S-rank adventurers.
Zain, Zack and Rhaelis moved upstairs. Rhaelis wanted to discuss was she was sent to this place and when Zain tried to leave, she pulled him to joined them.
They arrived at Zack's office and Rhaelis was the first to speak immediately after he sat down.
"I was sent here to investigate." Rhaelis said in a serious tone.
Zack and Zain looked at her and gestured her to continue.
"Remember few days ago, I was sent to investigate that outburst of energy."
"Ohh that, I almost forgot about that." Zack said in recollection of the event. Zain looked confused on what they were talking about.
"What are you talking about?" Zain said in confusion and they both looked at him in confusion.
"Lucas, remember that incident where a massive outburst of energy was felt and probably every kingdom felt it." Zack said trying to explain to Zain.
"I would remember if I felt that kind of energy." Zain said in confusion.
"Every strong person felt it. It woke me up in my sleep." Rhaelis said recalling that day in annoyance.
"Can't remember."
"It happened few days ago. Probably on the 15th day of Bloomreach." Zack said to Zain leaning in close to see his reaction. Zain remember something.
"Ohh that day. I remember that." Zain said in a casual tone.
"You remembered." Rhaelis said that as she continued to explain.
Her guildmaster assigned a task to investigate what was the reason for that outburst. The guildmaster instructed her to leave immediately because the cause of it might get stolen by others. Her guildmaster thought it was an artifact because the guildmaster is obsessed with artifact and she doesn't know why. So Rhaelis has been on the journey to discover the cause of it. Zain listen attentively to what she was saying.
"What do you think Lucian." Rhaelis turned toward Zain and asked Zain
"About what? And Call me Lucas."
"About whats the cause for the outburst." Rhaelis said in annoyance.
"If I tell you, you'll probably tell someone. So it doesn't matter what I think." Zain said casual.
"Of course I will, that's the reason I'm here." Rhaelis said in anger towards Zain and Zack didn't try to join in.
"Okay. Promise me you won't tell anyone or shall we for a contract?" Zain said casually.
"Didn't you hear me? I need to report the information."
"You can give false information or make something up."
"NO!" Rhaelis said in fury.
"Then I won't tell you." Zain said casual and stood up in a manner to leave the room.
"Stop!" Rhaelis stopped him when he was about to open the door. "Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone if what you say is not a threat to the world." She said.
Zain went back to sit down and causally said
"I'm probably the cause for the outburst."
The room went dead quite when Zain said that.