Lexa had silently engraved those words into memory. Amber herself was beginning to understand that lesson. Just watching Lexa fight had already shown her something painful — being able to perceive mana didn't automatically make someone a good fighter.
Lexa couldn't even see mana the way Amber could, yet she completely overwhelmed her. Because combat wasn't merely knowledge.
It was timing, decision making, pressure, adaptation and killing intent. Everything working together.
Amber slowly realized something else. Lexa. Vexian. Neither of them had become this strong by themselves.
They had been personally nurtured by Dante.
Every habit, every movement, every principle, every mindset — all of it originated from him. Trying to surpass Lexa without surpassing Dante's guidance first was almost impossible.
She suddenly remembered something else. Master had given them skills. Actually given them skills.
Even now Amber couldn't begin to imagine how such a thing was possible.
Every time she remembered it, she became even more convinced — the man she now served wasn't merely a genius. He was becoming something history itself would eventually struggle to explain.
Lexa finally stood from her floating sword.
"Enough."
Amber immediately straightened.
"Now we fight. I'll suppress myself to roughly the strength of a Level 10. So—" Lexa smiled. "—show me you can defend yourself."
Amber inhaled deeply before nodding. With nothing more than a thought, four chains materialized around her, each measuring roughly one hundred and seventy centimeters in length and nearly ten centimeters thick.
They were enormous — thick enough to rival a grown man's forearm, dense enough that their metallic sheen almost looked real despite being entirely constructed from mana.
The chains floated around Amber like loyal serpents, circling her body smoothly, never colliding, never tangling, each moving independently while still maintaining perfect formation.
Lexa couldn't help giving a small approving nod.
"You've chosen a telepathic combat style."
Amber blinked.
"I have?"
"You don't realize it?"
Amber shook her head. Lexa smiled faintly.
"You barely move. You don't rely on your body. You don't rely on your arms. You command everything mentally."
She pointed toward the floating chains.
"Those are your limbs. Not your hands."
Amber slowly looked down at herself. Only then did she realize — she truly hadn't moved.
Lexa continued.
"That means conventional swordsmanship won't help you much. Nor fist fighting. You'll need movement, yes, but Master is far better suited to teach that than I am. He occasionally fights exactly the same way. He can move while controlling dozens of things at once. I've never understood how."
Amber couldn't help feeling another wave of admiration toward Dante.
Lexa summoned another massive blood greatsword.
"For now, let's see if your defense deserves to exist."
Without warning, the sword shot forward. Amber instinctively almost raised her hands.
'No.'
She bit her lip. 'Master's lesson. No unnecessary movement.'
The chains obeyed immediately — two intercepted the blade, one wrapped around it, the last remained beside Amber as a final safeguard.
The sword crashed into the bindings. For a moment it actually stopped. Amber's eyes lit up.
"I—"
The blade exploded. Not outward. Instead it dissolved into hundreds of tiny droplets of blood. The liquid slipped effortlessly through the tiny openings between the chains. Before Amber could react, the droplets condensed again behind the bindings.
The needles formed.
Amber's expression froze.
'...What?'
Lexa sighed inwardly. 'She's so inexperienced. Was I really this bad in the beginning?'
Before Amber could adjust, the needles condensed again — this time into dozens, then hundreds of needles, each carrying enough force to punch through stone. Amber hurriedly redirected her chains.
'Too slow.'
Needles slipped through every tiny opening. One pierced her shoulder. Another her thigh. Three struck her side. Several more embedded themselves into her arms before the chains finally managed to intercept the remainder.
Amber cried out before collapsing onto one knee, her entire body trembling.
Lexa slowly walked over.
"Your chains aren't the problem."
Amber looked up.
"You are."
Amber blinked.
"You keep reacting, instead of predicting."
She pointed toward the scattered chains.
"You watched the sword. You never watched me."
Amber froze. Lexa continued calmly.
"If you fight Master, you'll never even realize where the real attack came from."
Amber's heart sank.
Lexa crouched slightly.
"Again."
Amber swallowed another healing pill using one of her chains before slowly standing. She hadn't even noticed — she was already using the chains naturally for simple tasks.
Lexa smiled inwardly. 'Good, progress.'
Then she looked Amber directly in the eyes.
"My dear Amber—" A small amused smile appeared on her face. "—it seems Master was right. We're going to be here for quite some time."
She summoned another sword.
"I refuse to let you return looking this pathetic."
Amber stared at the sword. Then at Lexa. Then sighed deeply.
"...I'm going to die."