Lillian watched as Thalrek slowly pushed himself into a crouch before pulling off the severed tubes in his back.
He tossed them aside before glaring at Lillian as though she were a fool.
However...
There was also a hint of awe in his eyes for what she had achieved.
And because of this, he was willing to put aside his pride to praise her.
"Interesting... You truly are interesting as much as you are a fool... To think you would risk your own body to be able to do such an attack..."
Getting up to his feet, he stored away the scythe and clutched his hands into fists.
His body leaned to one side and then the other as both tiredness and weakness washed over him.
He then muttered as he steadily made his way over to her:
"That sword... I seem to recognise it..."
Lillian kept quiet and chose not to answer.
This didn't bother the man in the slightest as he then said, pumping his arms:
"Let's finish this, like real men..."
Lillian, surprised by what he said, couldn't help but ask herself:
'Doesn't he know I'm a woman?'
She knew her chestplate covered her chest, but shouldn't he have realised she was a woman by her voice?
She then raised a hand to the face of her mask, realising it was its doing.
Glancing down at her sword, she noted that she just needed one more stab left before she could finally unlock it.
Due to how long it had been since she used the shortsword, her stabs had been reset back down to one. However, it didn't really matter since she had just gotten them all back.
She then looked towards his hands, which were shaped into fists. Was he really planning to engage in a fist fight with her?
Lillian recalled the countless times she fought him in the game. The countless times she died for him. And the countless times her game reset because of him.
She knew for a fact that he wouldn't ever decide to have a full-on fist fight with her.
Was this a trap?
Or...
Was something else playing a role in this?
She took a sneaky glance to the side:
[Success Rate Increase: 200% (maxed)]
'I see... So, you've been playing a role this entire time?'
She breathed a sigh before responding to Thalrek's earlier statement:
"Very well..."
She summoned her sword back into her Mana Realm and began to slowly approach him as well.
Step. Step. Step.
As they walked towards each other, the mist circled around them, creating a tense atmosphere as the two walked past the corpses of cultists on the ground.
The smell of blood lingered in the air, entering through both of their nostrils—the taste of their own blood still lingering on their taste buds.
And finally, once they reached each other...
Thalrek threw the first punch.
It was clumsy, but still full of power.
However, unlike him—
BAM!
—She was trained in hand-to-hand combat.
And with the thought, a pleasant but rough memory flashed through her mind.
***
Inside a boxing ring, Lillian had her hair tied back as she wore a white sports bra.
She raised her guard and stepped to the side, dodging a swift strike from a certain Assassin, who also had her hair tied back and wore a black sports bra.
They had managed to rent themselves a boxing ring in the city outside the academy realm.
It was also before they had begun dating.
Lillian stepped forward and threw back a counterattack, but watched as Marionette ducked underneath it.
The Assassin grabbed onto the girl's arm and seamlessly threw her over her shoulder, slamming her into the cushioned mat below.
Thump...
They then did it again.
Lillian threw a flurry of punches that were dodged by the Assassin with ease.
Clicking her tongue, Lillian spun and shot her leg out—a side kick—which was easily countered by the Assassin as they stepped to the side and wrapped their arm around it.
She was then thrown back onto the ground.
She then heard the Assassin say:
"Again."
This lasted for a while, and each time, Lillian was constantly put on her ass and back.
Lillian groaned.
"Ngh... Man... Did you have to slam me that hard...?"
Marionette watched as Lillian sat up, rubbing her rear. Her eyes stared at the sweat that was running down the girl's face before glancing away stoically.
"It's training, Lillian. Stop moaning."
Lillian pouted before sighing:
"Yeah, yeah... I get it. Now, do you mind helping me up?"
She watched as the Assassin turned around and pushed out her hand towards her with a nod.
Lillian smiled, glancing at the woman's hand, then her face, before lastly landing her gaze on the Assassin's sports bra that hugged her chest.
She gave a winking smirk at the black-haired woman as she said:
"Has anyone said that you look really hot in a sports bra?"
Lillian, reaching out to take the woman's hand, found it slowly move away from her reach.
She raised an eyebrow before raising her eyes and watching the Assassin turn away, hiding the lower half of their face.
She then heard her say:
"Get up by yourself, we're taking a break."
Lillian rolled her eyes playfully, "Alright~..."
Getting up, she rested her back against the rope of the boxing ring, stretching her back and rolling her shoulders.
After a bit, she then asked:
"Hey, do you think I'll be as good as you any time soon?"
Marionette, who was sorting some things out in her spatial earring, looked back at her with a raised eyebrow before sighing:
"You sure do love asking this exact same question a lot, Lillian. Are you that pessimistic and unconfident about your abilities?"
The corners of Lillian's lips twitched at her words. Scratching the side of her cheek with her finger, she giggled, embarrassed: Love this story? Show support at NovelFire.
"Hehe... M-maybe...?"
Marionette, softening her gaze on the girl, tossed a white towel at her.
Lillian, catching it, used it to pat away the sweat on her body.
She then heard Marionette ask:
"Will there come a day when you will throw in the towel and give up?"
"Huh?"
Lillian tilted her head, "I, uh... Probably not... I got a lot of things I want to do..."
Marionette, hearing her answer, nodded in satisfaction:
"Then that means the day you give up will be the day that you die, Lillian. You will eventually reach my level, or perhaps even surpass me. Don't put yourself down. And don't especially compare yourself to me."
Lillian, watching as the woman made her way over to her, watched as her chin was tilted up.
Marionette, staring into Lillian's blue eyes, murmured:
"The act of comparing is the thief of progress and joy. And the act of giving up is the nexus to stagnation and regret. Always remember that, Lillian."
"..."
Lillian, looking into the Assassin's eyes, thought deeply before grinning:
"Is this the part where we kiss or something?"
Marionette widened her eyes and began to slowly lean in, seeing this, Lillian couldn't help but giggle as she pushed the woman's face back by her forehead.
"Pfft... I didn't mean it... But thanks, I'll be sure to remember that."