The Martial Unity

The three of them came to a momentary stand-off as Max quickly tended to his wound, while Crea and Mana caught their breaths and gathered their bearings. Despite being pounded by the two siblings, she felt amazing. The way of fighting that she had just engaged in was incredibly satisfying and fun. A strange feeling came from within her, she didn't really understand what it meant.

Attack to defend. Make it count.

These principles that Rui had imparted to her really resonated with her.

Why that was the case, she didn't know, but she decided to ride the wave. Making it her only principal way to engage with her opponent.

She had a fierce expression as Max and Mana regrouped, preparing another volley of attacks. Yet just as they leaped at her.

WHOOSH

"Waaaaah!" A boy went flying just between the siblings and Crea, surprising them. He landed a few meters away, groaning in pain. The three of them couldn't help but look in the opposite direction, wondering what launched him flying.

Their eyes widened as a faint aura crept over them, pressuring their minds. They stiffened as they gritted their teeth, their attentions had already been drawn away from each other.

The boy walked towards the three of them with a lazy grin, assessing them as they did him.

"Martial Apprentice..." Crea clenched her jaw as she whispered.

Just her luck, before she could even obtain the necessary badges, she was ambushed by two punks and now even a Martial Apprentice had taken note of them.

What was especially eye-drawing was the number of badges pinned across his clothes. There were many badges across his upper garbs. It was clear that he had accumulated more badges than he needed. The man was no longer just fighting to pass the second round, he was fighting for fun.

Crea would have ordinarily evaded him, but it was too late, his eyes were locked on them. Max and Mana could sense the same, as they faced him instead of each other.

He smiled, wordlessly, there was nothing to say at all, after all.

who was part of the rare group of adolescents who had broken through to the Apprentice Realm prior

broken through very recently, and Crea was sure that he hadn't mastered any Apprentice-level techniques either. She could see a bruise or two on his face, which would

as the three of

evidently, he was

WHOOSH

POW!

instant, he had crossed the gap between them, and launched a kick at Max, launching him

cried out, yet she made the blunder of losing track of her opponent in

POW!

across the jaw caused her to crumple down

as she adopted a highly closed stance. Her eyes were bloodshot, she loosened her jaw a bit,

POW!

"RRGH!"

to the ankle brought her down to one knee. It was too fast for and too difficult

POW!

backward, collapsing to the

DRIP DRIP DRIP

up his foot, startling

down

stood up like a zombie as she

inside her. A switch had turned on, a door had opened. Inside her head. It was a path that extended deep beyond her fathoming. A path that she had taken

"PTHOO!"

him, amidst her saliva was a

as he charged at her at full

she charged toward him

POW!