Chapter 24. Inch Strength Splits the Sky
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Even though she was extremely reluctant, Loki still left.
"[Tonight, Ais must come back.]"
"[Don't lay a hand on Ais.]"
"[If Ais is wronged...]"
"[Then let's have Ragnarok.]"
She was serious.
Before leaving, Loki opened her eyes, and her cold expression was nothing like the clownish character who was rolling on the ground, unwilling to leave.
That was her true form—the prankster capable of overturning the world wouldn't let her beloved get hurt because of some common sense.
In response, Cyd patted Ais on the head right in front of her.
In the end, Loki had to be dragged away.
She kept shouting, "Why can you touch her, and I can't? Don't you realize where you've been touching all day?"
"Sending off a troublemaker only to be left with a nuisance," Cyd scratched the back of his head and looked at Ais, who stood still like a doll. "Let me make this clear... I'm very strict. Even if you cry and scream, I won't stop."
Bell shuddered, as if recalling some terrifying past.
"No problem," Ais looked at Cyd with unwavering determination. "I'll do anything to get stronger."
"I can see your resolve clearly," Cyd's gaze became more intense.
Bell looked at Ais with some pity.
This poor, naive girl had no idea what she had just agreed to.
My teacher...
Ais, with both arms broken, fell to the ground expressionless.
But Cyd, respecting his student's resolve, handed her a healing potion as Bell sighed.
Ais bit the bottle's neck, lifted her head, and let the potion flow down her throat.
"This child has grown..." Cyd said with a gratified expression. "At first, she would choke, but now she can drink it smoothly... although that's the only thing that's improved."
"Please, again!" Ais stood up as her arms regained feeling.
"How amazing..." Bell's mouth hung open. Even though each time he was healed perfectly, the pain never lessened. The pain remained even after the injuries were gone, yet Ais acted like nothing had happened.
"Next, it's Bell's turn," Cyd said, cracking his neck.
"I can still continue," Ais stubbornly blocked Cyd's path.
"You've been fighting with me since the beginning. Every part of your body that could break has already been broken. It's time to take a break."
"No problem, I can hold on!"
"If you don't rest, I won't train with you anymore." Cyd raised his voice.
Ais's body trembled, and she quickly ran to the side, laid down on the ground, closed her eyes... and fell asleep.
"So fast!" Bell exclaimed, eyes wide.
"Falling asleep quickly is also a powerful skill. At least it shows she's mastered control over her body," Cyd said, knocking on Bell's head. "You've been slacking long enough; now it's time for you to... to receive your beloved teacher's education."
"Teacher, you were really about to say 'to get beaten,' weren't you? Hey! Attacking out of nowhere is too sneaky!" Bell panicked, picking up his shield to block Cyd's fist at an angle.
"Oh... knowing you can't block it head-on, so you let my attack slide past," Cyd raised an eyebrow, stopping his fist against the shield. "This technique is enough to deal with monsters, but..."
Bell's previously excited expression began to freeze.
Every time Cyd said "but" during training, some part of his body would make a creepy sound.
"Humans are much trickier than monsters~" Cyd grinned, pressing his fist against the shield, his muscles slightly tensed.
At this distance, he shouldn't be able to launch a powerful attack. If he backed off, he could dodge!
Bell swallowed, waiting for a chance to counter.
Inch Strength—Breaking Arms and Twisting Waists
"Boom—"
"Ahhhh!!!"
With a loud bang, Bell screamed as he flew across the room, crashing into the wall.
"Crack—"
His shield-bearing left arm and waist broke...
Ais, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly sat up, grabbed the nearby healing potion, ran to Bell, and awkwardly shoved the bottle into his mouth before lying back down.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Bell spat out the bottle. He had almost choked to death on the potion just now.
"How does it feel?" Cyd tilted his head. "Being fed medicine by a beautiful girl."
"Like suffocating," Bell stuck out his tongue. "Teacher, teach me that sneaky skill too!"
"Experiencing it firsthand makes teaching it easier," Cyd wagged his finger. "Besides, it requires a certain level of physical fitness, which you should now have."
"Really? I want to learn!" Bell's eyes lit up.
As if a switch had been flipped, Ais jumped up and walked to Cyd, saying, "I want to learn too."
"It's not really suitable for you..." Cyd frowned.
"Um..." Ais hesitated before opening her arms and closing her eyes. "Please hit me. After experiencing it, you'll teach me, right?"
Cyd silently raised his hand.
Bell's eyes widened, showing an expression of "Teacher, are you really going to do it?"
It was one thing before when Ais had been fighting Cyd with a real sword that could kill, so breaking some bones was normal. But now, Ais was clearly not resisting... Bell, at least, knew he couldn't bring himself to hit a girl who was standing there with her eyes closed, looking so pitiful.
"Snap—"
Cyd flicked Ais lightly on the forehead.
"You're different from Bell. You already have your own fighting style, while Bell is still a blank slate. I can keep pushing him..."
Bell covered his ears.
I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I hear nothing.
"...until he becomes the perfect hero."
Bell silently puffed out his chest.
That's right, he's talking about me!
"Um..." Ais pouted in dissatisfaction.
"You're already very strong. You just need to keep honing what you have. That's the right path for you to get stronger," Cyd said, patting Ais's pouting face. "Don't worry, I'll help you get stronger, but if you try to learn things that don't suit you, you might actually get weaker."
Ais nodded, half understanding, then sat in the corner, hugging her knees. Her usually bright golden hair looked slightly dim.
Isn't she super depressed?!
As Bell silently commented, Cyd pushed a huge boulder in front of him.
"As long as you..."
"I know, Teacher!" Bell raised his hand. "As long as I can push it forward, I'll succeed, right?"
"More or less," Cyd nodded after a moment of thought, pushing his right hand into the rock. In an instant, countless cracks spread across the boulder.
"Boom—"
Bell stared blankly at the shattered stone flying everywhere.
"Just like that."
How is that "more or less"?