His words had been noble, rich with understanding and experience. But for some reason, it was difficult to explain why I felt suddenly insulted by the manner in which he left.
Still, I could use the moment alone.
"Let me go talk to my strong, wise, beautiful, and hot therapist."
I closed my eyes and dove into The Nave of my Soul Plane.
What I saw made me freeze in place.
Kassie.
She wasn’t sleeping naked this time around. However, she was training... naked.
Her movements were divine, but the other movements of certain places elevated that divinity in more ways than one.
She wielded her greatsword with surprising ease, swinging at the air with a tremendous strength that made the entire cathedral seem to shudder. She would explode with speed, twirl in the air, her sword accompanying her movement like an extension of her limb. She knew how to handle the weight of that blade perfectly — when to let it work for her, when to use it as an advantage.
Sometimes, she swung it over her head, allowing the weight of the greatsword to cause a lag in her momentum that could serve as a feint, only for her to suddenly explode forward with a single motion and let the weight of the sword destroy the face of the marble floor.
The Nave would shake tremendously at each impact. Every time, her breasts would bounce in different directions, her ass would ripple with shockwaves from the wind slapping those cheeks each time she burst forward with a speed that assaulted the winds themselves.
At first, I thought she was just randomly swinging around and training, until I noticed how her movement followed her shadow. Each time, it was almost like she was... fighting her own self?
’Shadow boxing? Is she shadow boxing?’
It was something I’d heard about a couple of times before, and I’d just assumed it was an act of training when one battled with their shadows. To me, it had always seemed like a senseless thing to do, really.
But watching Kassie kill it? And so magnificently, in all the nakedness of her combat art?
’Shadow boxing is such a reasonable type of boxing, really. Makes so much sense!’
Suddenly she landed and stood straight. Her back view was all I could see, and although I wished for the front, this back was more than enough. Her long spine, alabaster skin, and soft, teardrop-shaped ass. The magnificence of art form had to have been embedded in this woman’s body.
It made me surge with energy, motivation, and exhilaration.
Kassie bowed to her own shadow — or whoever it was she’d been battling — then sparks began to fly around her body as she turned.
Upon completing a full turn, she froze. Her eyes widened, and her face flushed terribly. So terribly that she staggered back and almost fell, but instead maintained a stance like she was about to summon her sword — or better still, dash forward and destroy me.
"Wha—what are you doing here?"
I had naturally readied myself for Kassie’s wrath as she turned. However, this reaction shook me for a moment.
But I said nothing.
’Be in control. Be in control.’
I closed my eyes and smiled delightfully.
"What do you mean, Kassie? Have you forgotten this is my soul?" I put both hands behind my back and raised my chin, speaking with a little cadence to my voice. "Kassie, you’re an art form. Your combat style, and how you flow with it in all the most ’human’of body parts... it’s inspiring."
I looked at her, clenching one fist in determination.
"You... are my definition of perfection, Kassie. Can you imagine what it’s going to be like for us both, to copulate once again? To further make your perfection defy the limit and go beyond. Plus ultra."
After speaking, I gave her a really sweet and intoxicated smile, almost like I was under the influence of some aphrodisiac narcotic — granted, it had Kassie written all over it.
But she... she was looking at me with a deadpan expression on her face. She frowned and lowered her head for a moment. Then folded her arms beneath her breasts.
The massive things shifted sensually.
"Why are you here?"
I glanced around The Nave, clapping my hands back and forth as I walked.
"Well, I came to check up on you. See how you’re doing... talk to you..."
’Who knows—maybe I can raise your Fortitude up again!’
Her frown seemed to deepen, almost confused.
"But I did not fall?"
I paused and looked at her. Then pointed at myself.
"But ’I’ did. Didn’t you see? Are the windows shut this time?"
She sighed, glancing around the main hall. "Answer for yourself."
"Hmm, hmm, I see." I nodded as I looked around at the windows that only reflected pale white light. My gaze snapped back to her. "So, actually, I fought... I just finished fighting. I fought hard, by the way — had essence exhaustion. And I did it without calling you. I even killed multiple Spirit Beasts."
She looked at me, tilting her head to the side, observing me cautiously. Then she smirked with the corner of her mouth and smiled fully before saying:
"Well done."
My head — which had been finding something else to gaze at — immediately snapped back at her.
"Wait! For real? You think I’m cool?"
She raised a brow and gave me a look that threatened to slit my throat if I took a step closer.
"Perhaps you should learn how to swing a sword first before thinking about that."
I looked at her sternly and hissed.
"What a way to kill it, Kassie. What a way. Have you never heard that small victories matter?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"No victory is small. If it’s small, it’s not a victory..."
I stayed there, frozen in shock.
’I can’t believe I came here wanting to gloat to someone that destroyed kingdoms about killing Feral-tier Spirit Beasts. Damn, I should’ve known better.’
I heaved a sigh.
"Never mind... I’ll just go."
As I turned to leave, my entire Nave trembled.
It caused me to frown immediately, and my vision shifted — switching to reality. But as it did, a wave of darkness flooded in, and unconsciousness took me.