"Now then! We got one week, so this and six more lessons. We start with a duel!"
"A duel? Don't you already know about my abilities?"
"Pft, of course I do! Don't question me!"
"Oh… Okay then… What are the rules going to be?"
"Just go all out."
"Okay, I get it, you're stronger. No need to rub it in. If that's all this is about we don't have to-"
"That's not what this is about, silly. But I'm glad you acknowledge my higher status!"
"Sigh… Let's just get started then…"
"Alright, we start when-"
Without a warning, Arina jumped forward, casting a fire ball in her hand and activating "The Need To Protect", ready to give Yuki a direct hit with full strength.
But before her attack could land, she hit something between Yuki and her, causing her to lose momentum and jumping back again.
"Really… I didn't even give the signal yet. But that's alright. No harm done after all~ Now let's see… That was a pretty good attack. I already noticed that you tend to get up close and stuff. If I'd have to guess then I'd say you buff your physical attributes and use magic only secondary to your hand to hand combat. Kind of weird for a student of an elite magic school but since it's similar with him I guess I'm not in a position to complain."
"What-…How do you always know these things?! It was the same with Mikio…"
"You'll figure it out eventually, don't think to much about it. Now what I want from you is to get even stronger and faster than you already are."
"Easier said then done…"
"I know, which is why we will need to push you a tiny little bit~"
"Push me…?"
"Ah, yes! Here, sign this!"
Shehandedherawritingfeatherand a longpieceofpaperwhichwasalmostreachingtheground.
"What's that… And where did you get that from anyway… I'm not signing that."
"Aw, don't even worry about it! It's just so you officially state that you agreed to me doing anything necessary to get you stronger, such as pushing you to your limits even if you say you want to stop!… Aaaand I can't be held liabe for any and all injuries sustained during the training, such as headaches, little cuts, feeling sore… Broken bones, death and and and… Bla bla bla."
The last parts were spoken so quietly and fast that they were impossible to understand by anyone, though since it was all written down on thr contract anyway that would be alright. Although it was written extremely tiny, barely visible, somewhere between the lines.
"Uhm… Why do you need me to sign that?"
"I just told you! For insurance, better safe than sorry, y'know? Common, we are friends, aren't we? Do it for me. You want to get stronger after all, don't you? I'm not asking for much here, am I?"
"Okay, fine! Geez… If you need me to that badly, like, whatever…"
She took the feather and signed, upon which Yuki quickly took the contract back and it just disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
"Great, all set then!"
"Yeah…"
"Now, on the ground and give me 100 pushups!"
"What…?"
"Talking back?! 200!"
"I-… Okay…!"
She quickly started, being taken aback and being intimidated by her abrupt change in demeanor.
"Go, go, go, we don't have all day! You have 10 minutes!"
"Isn't… That seems like hardly enough time…?"
"No talking back! 50 more now!"
"Ah… Yes…"
She had signed a contract with the devil. After 10 minutes, she had barely managed 130 pushups, although she wasn't completely exhausted she went as fast as she could.
"Okay, that's enough. You failed."
"I'm sorry… I'll-"
"Pathetic! Embarrassing! How do you think you'll get through the competitive exam with such a performance?! Get up, and run around the entire city at the border twice!"
"That's That's like 300 kilometers…!"
"So your minimum average needs to be 150 km/h."
"So…? That's impossible! Even if I used all my mana and get close to death, while flying, I'd barely make that!"
"Go, go, go!"
Yuki brought her to the edge of the city in an instant before she could protest further.
"I'll know if you cheat. Your time starts now! Go, go, go!"
She pushed her forward, upon which Arina, still a little exhausted from the pushups started running. With the help of "The Need To Protect" she was able to reach superhuman speeds, sure. But Yuki's requirements were a lot, even for her. Her usual training was nothing against this. She already regret signing that contract.
After 4 hours, she finished her first round and collapsed gasping for air next to Yuki.
"Pathetic! I wouldn't even bet on you in a race against middle schoolers!"
"I… I…"
Then she passed out.
"Sigh… Master really has high hopes for you… I'd be jealous if I wouldn't almost pity you for that."
Yuki carried her unconscious body back to her dorm. It was getting late, since they had started their training directly after school ended. Yuki decided to stay with her in case she woke up during the night and wouldn't know where she was, or if she would not wake up in time to get up for school the next day.
But the night was uneventful, and she woke up just in time to get to school. Even though everything hurt and the thought of making it through the day, just to be rewarded with another training from hell, made her want to just pass out on the spot again. But she somehow managed through the day, and even showed up to where she and Yuki were supposed to meetup.
"I'm ready for whatever you will throw at me next!"
"…That's great! In that case, your whole task for today is to lift that."
She pointed towards a golden sword laying on the ground.
"Just lift that sword? Where's the catch?"
"No catch. It's as simple as that."
"Pft, I know I didn't complete any of the tasks form yesterday… But you don't need to take pity on me and make it that easy…"
Arina walked over to the sword and bend down to lift it. It wasn't stuck in the ground, just laid flat on it.
"Oh, you think so…?"
Just as Yuki said that, Arina was about to pick it up. Just to realize that she was unable to. She pulled, pushed, kicked, anything to even move it at all, all in vain.
"What the hell…?"
"Well, good luck. Come find me when you can lift it."
"Wait, this has to be a trick! It's bound to the ground somehow!"
"Sigh…"
Yuki walked over to the sword, picked it up, span it around a little, than laid it back down.
"See? No tricks. Now you try."
"…!"
And trying she was. She must have looked pretty silly. Or would have, if anyone saw her. But the area was pretty secluded so no one saw her pulling with all her might and still failing. Eventually, she had to give up. Although it was already dark, she wasn't going to pass out again, that much dignity she promised herself, since she gave up the rest when she walked away in defeat.
The next day, after school, the sword was gone and she was ready to be scolded by Yuki again. But Yuki went a step further.
"Say it."
"…I failed…"
"And?"
"And I'm pathetic…"
"Aaaand?"
"And embarrassing, unprepared for the competitive exam…"
"That's right! But that's okay! Because you get become less embarrassing every day! Trust me!"
Although her words sounded sincere, she looked so happy hearing Arina call herself pathetic and embarrassing. Almost sadistic, but Arina was too motivated to notice.
"Now, what I've prepared for you today is simple!"
"…"
Of course it was.
"I want you to buff yourself, than stop it, then buff yourself again."
"That's all…?"
"For four hours."
"Of course…"
"Chop, chop, we only have four more days after today."
"Ah, yes!"
She spent the whole day just turning "The Need To Protect" on and off, although she felt like after each time she was getting less tired afterwards. In the end she still almost passed out from how much mana she consumed. The most peaceful day so far regardless of that.
The next day, Yuki had prepared a seemingly nothing and just sat on the ground.
"Uhm… Are you okay?"
"I'm great! Amazing, actually. How about you?"
"Eh, close to death from exhaustion…"
"That makes sense. Which is why today, is a relax day~"
"Relax day?"
A hopeful spark in Arina's eyes.
"Yes. Sit down, close your eyes, and breathe~"
"Okay…"
Unsure of what this was, she followed Yuki's instructions.
"And now?"
"Feel your mana circulation, slow it down… speed it up… then slow it down again… "
"How am I supposed to-"
"Shhh~ No talking back~… That's 50 pushups when we are done with this~…"
"…"
"Buff yourself…"
"But we aren't even doing anything…"
"100 pushups~…"
"…"
Arina activates "The Need To Protect".
"Now feel how you get stronger and faster, without using your strength or speed… Just breathe, and be stronger."
"…"
"Now feel weaker…"
Arina deactivates "The Need To Protect".
"Good… That's one way to slow down your mana circulation… now remember how you feel in each state, and try to duplicate the feeling without using your ability…"
"Oh my god, I feel it!"
"Shhh… That's 150 pushups~…"
"…"
That concluded their fourth day of training. With three remaining. On the next day, Yuki had two swords in the ground infront of her.
"Pick one."
Having flashbacks from the golden sword that she was unable to lift, she hesitantly grabbed one and pulled it out, with little trouble to her surprise.
"Since you fought with a stick during the exam, I take it close range weapons are your thing. Although you won't be able to use a sword during the exam if you don't create it with magic, as I've heard from prof. Reed. So we might need to find a loop hole for you. But first of all, sword training!"
She took the other sword that was in the ground, and attacked Arina without warning, who was able to parry last second.