Nephis looked at Mia and asked with her eyes slowly narrowing.
"Is that all you want?"
Mia straightened and looked up at Nephis.
"Yes. So what do you say, Lady Nephis? Do you still accept my terms for the duel?"
Mia's hands curled into fists just slightly, barely visible.
Nephis did not blink, and while keeping her gaze with Mia, she nodded and walked past Mia, not sparing her another glance, only saying
"Let's go"
Thus, they headed for the training arena, which was provided for them by the teachers. After all, no one wanted to be on the bad side of The Changing Star.
As they entered the arena, Nephis took one side and Mia took the opposite side. The size of the arena was pretty much as big as at Sunny's fight, with Master Rock, but now there was no one watching. Grey concrete was clean, not a single scratch on it.
Nephis looked around and sight
"Such a waste. It's not gonna look so nice for long. Oh well."
No one and nothing was watching them. As the cold wind blew and storm clouds gathered above them and as lightning cracked across the arena, both of the girls lunged at each other. Nephis summons her blade similarly to Mia summoning hers. For a moment, there was silence, which was instantly broken by the loud crash of steel against each other just as the rumbling thunder started the downpour. Some cracks on the ground were already appearing, as it was only the beginning of their clash; they hadn't even used their true power. Well, Nephis didn't think she was holding back. After all, she is a whole rank above her, not to mention her having the same amount of cores as a devil, making her an Ascended Devil, because of that she was trying not to unleash all of her power. This did not mean she was sparing Mia or anything, quite the contrary. Nephis was slightly increasing the output of her power with every clash.
"Isn't she an Awakened? How is she getting stronger? This power is inhuman"
Nephis moved gracefully but very swiftly. Mia, on the other hand, was adapting to every move Nephis did, blocking and attacking at the perfect window, just like she trained in the Forgotten Shore. From a young age, she was adapting and consuming knowledge on how to get stronger. Her fundamental understanding of battle art was amazing despite not having any sword style instructors or training. Not counting Forgotten Shore. Even if it were counted, it wouldn't matter. The gap between skill and battle understanding between Nephis and Mia was incomparable, regardless of how great of a genius Mia was. Despite that, Mia knew she was hitting at the blind spot every time, but that didn't matter to Nephis. She was just too fast and way too versatile.
"She is just too damn fast. Every window is blocked instantly by another wall. I can't find an opening. Not to mention....she is getting faster, stronger. So she is still holding back. This is so frustrating"
Her style of adaptation was significantly better than Mia's. Regardless of how many low slashes and breaks of formations Mia caused to Nephise's battle art, she wasn't able to strike her. Not to the point she wanted anyway. As Mia was about to counter another of Nephise's side slashes, only for Nephis to get drastically faster, not letting her have a single moment to react, not to mention her emotions were taking over her fighting style. This led to Nephis' upper cutting Mia, who barely blocked getting cut from her torso all the way to her shoulder, and she crashed into the arena wall behind her, cracking it right after, and she fell on the ground on her feet and weakly took a step forward.
As that happened, Nephis deflected a blade but still got slashed across her torso.
"Oh?"
Nephis looked down at barely standing Mia and then lower at her feet, seeing a sword on the ground.
Nephis thought back and saw it now.
"As I cut her, she gave up on full defence and used me attacking into her attack. Not a very good trade since she is barely alive at this point."
Nephis looked at Mia and stepped over her blade on the ground, her expression unreadable, and despite cold rain falling on them, nothing touched her since she was covered by her white flames, evaporating everything in an instant. She walked forward and dismissed her weapon.
"I-I am not done."
Nephis looked at Mia coldly.
"Was that attack worth it? Also, you are. Despite everything, you did surprisingly well for an awakened."
Mia looked up weakly at Nephis' blood dripping down her face, covering her eye and most of her left cheek, it was getting slowly washed away by the rain that was pouring as strongly as ever. As she looked at Nephis, she saw not a scratch on her for that she fell on her knees, sticking her other not summoned blade into the hard concrete under her.
Nephis stood over her and with lightning illuminating the position they both were i,n Mia said coldly.
"Ask your questions, Nephis."
Mia said that with defeat written all over her face.
"Should I get Kai?"
"I will be honest. There is no point. So ask."
Nephis hesitated but asked bluntly.
"Do you...love Sunny?"
Mia chuckled. It was a broken laugh. Mostly because of her injuries, her breath was weak but deliberate.
"I thought I was pretty obvious. It it kinda embarrassing to spill it to you, you know, but. Yes. I do."
Nephis did not react, mostly from using her flames and was not really thinking with her emotions now.
"Where did Sunny go yesterday?"
"Chained Islands. I don't know why."
"As for the last one. Who are you?"
Mia looked up at Nephis with cold, dark eyes.
"I can't answer that, Nephis. Even if I wanted to."
Nephis tilted her head slightly and asked slowly.
"Why is that?"
"This was the first order Sunny gave me: "Never disclose any information about yourself to anyone." I really can't tell you, unless he revokes this order. I believe you have some experiences with that, don't you, Nephis? Ordering Sunny around like a...."
"Shut up, Mia."
"Did I strike a nerve?"
"I will not repeat myself. So act accordingly."
Mia didn't reply to that, only held her gaze with Nephis unblinking. blood pouring into her eye. Despite that, Mia didn't seem to care.
Nephis blinked for a second and asked another question.
"Do you know what's Sunny's goal?"
Mia waited a little and blinked slowly.
"No...he never mentioned anything about it until you were talking about it today."
"I see. Alright."
She approached Mia, and as she was about to touch her, Mia didn't even look up and said.
"Don't do it."
Nephis looked at bleeding Mia and outstretched her hand, and as she was about to touch her shoulder, Mia said something that froze Nephis. After which, she turned around and walked away from the arena, leaving Mia alone. Thankfully, it was raining, so her tears would not be noticed much. After a while, night came, heavy rain still pouring, and as lightning struck shadow was standing in front of Mia.
"Get lost, Happy."
Happy did not respond, only looked at Mia.
"I said, GET LOST!"
She threw her blade at him, but instead of dodging, Sunny caught it and set it down in front of Mia.
"You done throwing a tantrum? Mia?"
Mia looked up and saw Sunny. She knew it was him, and her lips trembled, crying again.
Sunny touched her shoulder, and she was slowly healed from the shadow essence that had entered her body.
"I lost. I hate it. SO MUCH."
"You let your emotions take control."
"I don't want to feel this weak again. Train me! Please. So I won't lose again."
Sunny looked at her and said slowly.
"I can teach you and make you stronger, but I can't guarantee that you will not lose again. After all, with every loss you can get stronger."
Mia looked at him and asked.
"Did you lose?"
Sunny nodded and looked at her as they both slowly stood up.
"More than anyone should. I don't think there is anyone that lost more than me."
"Sorry."
Sunny turned around and saw the arena covered in a vast amount of scratches and cracks.
"You want me to train you, you say, ha?"
Mia looked at Sunny, and her smile grew a little.
"Then prove to me how much you improved from Forgotten Shore. In Forgotten Shore, you were 1 whole rank weaker, so show me how much stronger you became."
"I can't fight you. I will lose."
"First of all. Stop saying: I will lose. Before the battle even starts. That mentality is hindering your growth. Second thing is that you will fight Haughty, so show me what you got."
"If I beat him. Will you train me?"
Sunny waited as if for a punchline and burst out laughing.
"Beat him? Oh no. All you need to do is to make him use more than 1 move."
He lifted 1 finger as he said that, simultaneously Haughty.
"Haughty. He is the one with the long sword, isn't he? This shouldn't be that difficult."
As she thought about it sudden shift went through her entire body. As soon as Haughty appeared shiver ran down Mia's spine. Haughty was wearing a sharp gauntlet as well as a dreadful knight helmet with only a slight area for where his eyes were. On his shoulder was placed a massive blade emitting death. His blade must have killed thousands of enemies.
"Is this his true form?"
Sunny said without moving.
"No, just his battle gear. It's only of an ascended rank, so still trash, relatively speaking."
Mia shook away her discomfort and stared at Haughty, not moving, standing 25 meters away from her.
"Lightning is your signal."
As Sunny said that Mia placed her hand slightly above her blade and took an attack stance, gathering everything she had inside her to prepare for the clash. As lighting crashed, Haughtly lunged at such incredible speed that Mia didn't even realise he was moving. It was as if he were simply standing in front of her. She was sure she didn't blink. So how?
All her thinking was in vain as Haughty's blade cut the night's air with speed and silence. Not even a single sound was heard until....
Haughty's blade stopped inches away from Mia's neck, and 1 second after, there was a crash. not of a blade, it was as if sound itself was collapsing. Haughty's slash broke the sound barrier. His devastating slash destroyed everything behind him, and everything that was in his slash's way, almost cutting the arena in half. Such incredible power was incomparable to the duel Mia just had with Nephis. Haughty and Sunny...No all of Sunny's shadows were just on a whole different level. Crash sent Mia to the ground, making her roll slightly and as she slowly stood up, Haughtly looked at her with a disappointed expression. His face was hidden, but his voice said it all.
"You disappointed me. Mia. I thought you were ready. Guess I was wrong."
He didn't wait for her reply; he only disappeared into the dark shadows all around the arena.
"This will be your training. You can pick a different one if you want to, but I picked Haughty for a reason. I am not gonna force you, but this is all I can do for you right now."
"Thank you. If I may ask. What is your plan? Sunny."
I will go to the Chained Islands, and you will come with me, as well as Kai. You will train there as well.
"What about you?"
Sunny looked into a distant sky into something unseen and said with a smirk forming on his lips.
"Get a new clan member. As of right now. He is a noble prince."
"Prince? Prince of what? Song? Valer?"
Sunny's smirk grew a little crazier.
"Prince of Nothing."