[Amari POV]
"You seriously fucked up this time, sis." Kitsuna's words were like ice, her tails twitching behind her as she glared down at me.
I shrank back, my legs numb and my hands tingling from the frost she'd left in her wake. Sitting there on the floor like a punished child, I couldn't even muster the strength to argue properly. "I know… but you didn't have to go this far," I whined, the ache in my body making me sound pitiful even to my ears.
Kitsuna's glare didn't soften. Her eyes held the weight of judgment, sharp and unrelenting. "I don't think you understand how badly you messed up, Amari. I'm not going to just let this go. But that's not even the main problem here." She shook her head, her voice calm but edged with steel.
"What is it then? And why is Katie so desperate for revenge? It was an accident!" I cried out, confused and frustrated, the shame bubbling beneath my anger.
"Would you say the same thing if you had actually killed her?" Kitsuna asked. The bluntness of the question hit me harder than the cold around my wrists. My mouth opened, but no words came out. Shame burned hot in my chest, and I turned my face away, unable to meet her eyes.
"…"
"Yes, silence." Kitsuna crossed her arms, her tails swaying impatiently. "Stop excusing yourself and listen for once. You said Zagan was stronger than before, but in my eyes, he's even weaker than he was before I left. So tell me, Amari—how did you come to that conclusion?"
"He is stronger," I insisted, my voice trembling as I looked down at my trembling hands. "His stats have more than doubled over the last few months. I don't understand why he acted like this today. He shouldn't have…" My words trailed off in helpless frustration.
Kitsuna's laugh was humorless, a sharp exhale that cut through the room. "Haah. I don't care if his stats are double, triple, or even ten times higher than before. Stats mean nothing if he can't use them. He could have the highest numbers in the world, and a baby could still kill him."
I blinked, raising a brow despite the sting in her words. "I don't believe a baby could do that."
"Amari!" Kitsuna's voice cracked like a whip.
"Figure of speech, I know!" I flinched, waving her off quickly. "But that's far too much of a stretch, Kitsuna."
Her gaze didn't waver. "No, really. If a baby griffin is born, its base stats are enough to kill an adult without trying."
I swallowed, the memory of bestiaries I'd read flashing through my mind. "Right… that's true."
She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Explain to me how you two were training the last few months."
I hesitated, guilt curling in my stomach. "Kitsuna… I know you could probably teach Zagan better than I could. But I can't be the one to guide him."
Her response was to conjure a splash of icy water that smacked me square in the face. I gasped at the shock of cold, but before I could protest, a dry breeze rushed past, evaporating the moisture instantly.
"Amari, right now you're a toddler trying to swim." Kitsuna crouched down, her sharp eyes locking with mine. "I know we're the same age, but you know I'm physically more robust than you. Correct?" Her tone was a warning, her presence suffocating.
"Sorry," I muttered, looking away like a child caught misbehaving.
"Kitsuna, you don't need to be so aggressive." Dad's calm voice cut through the room as he stepped inside.
Kitsuna stood tall again, her expression hard. "Yes, Father, but you're wrong if you think this is just me being harsh. There's no time to worry about her foolishness. I'll continue to invest in Zagan's training until the start of the second stage." She spoke like my efforts were meaningless, like I hadn't even tried.
"This is my last month with him."
"Why? He didn't even make it through to the next stage." My confusion overcame my shame, and I stared at her.
"Oh no, he'll go through."
"Why?"
"You'll find out when Mom comes back," she said simply, her words offering nothing but frustration. Before I could question her again, she added, "Zagan should be awake by now." Then she vanished, her tail flicking as if mocking me.
"She's getting further and further ahead," Dad murmured, his tone thoughtful. "It won't be long before she surpasses you completely."
I turned to him, desperate. "Is she really that much stronger than before her trip?"
Dad nodded. "She has a new disruptive class, and she's the Wrath holder. That alone makes her a powerhouse."
"She has so many OP skills," I muttered bitterly.
"That's how this world works," he said, his expression neutral. "What you do before you receive your class sets everything in motion."
"And her sin?"
"There are buffs. But don't consider it to be a gift. Even Stacy's Berserker comes with terrible downsides." His explanation made me frown, curiosity tugging at me.
"Even though it gives extra stats?"
"Of course. Equality must exist somehow. No class is free from balance."
I nodded slowly. "I understand, but…"
"Hm. Every so often, you'll face a trial that makes or breaks you. Everyone gets one. But the lower your stats are, the easier it is to endure."
I frowned, frustration bubbling. "That's even more of a riddle, Dad."
He sighed. "Maybe I don't know how to explain it properly."
"Then don't say it at all," I snapped, annoyance bleeding through.
"I apologize," he said, though his expression didn't change. His eyes flickered as if catching a message only he could hear. "An has sent me a message."
"Oh, already? Sorry, I let my temper get the better of me."
"I was debating whether to say anything, but… with those ice chains, it might not matter."
I glanced down at the frozen shackles binding me. The chill bit into my skin, even through my clothes. "It was really cold," I muttered pitifully, trying to win sympathy.
"I would think so. Even I felt the cold from here," Dad said with a small shiver.
"Well? Are you going to help me get rid of them?"
"Nope. Prove yourself capable." With that, he vaulted out the window as casually as leaving through a door.
I groaned, slumping. "Prove myself? Seriously? What is with this family?" My breath misted in the frigid air. "I can't squander mana on these chains… I have a battle royale tomorrow."
With a sigh, I gathered energy into my fingertips, focusing until sparks of light condensed into thin, cutting beams. Slowly, I chipped at the ice.
"This is going to take forever," I muttered, sweat dripping despite the cold.
[Next Day]
"Kitsuna has the most unique approach to training people," I grumbled, twirling a sparkling ball of mana in my hand. It was the ninth time today I'd formed it, and each one felt stronger than the last. To outsiders, it probably looked like a harmless light show. But I knew—it was the strongest spell I'd ever crafted.
All thanks to those damn ice chains. Breaking them down forced me to push past my limits and refine my control. I'd learned to make tiny lasers, then built them into this devastating sphere.
When I destroyed the last of her chains this morning, they hadn't shattered into shards—they'd disintegrated into dust. I hadn't even known ice could turn to dust. But Kitsuna always had a way of forcing impossible things to happen.
"Hey, Amari."
I turned, smiling when I saw the two tall dwarves approaching. "Hmm, oh, it's you two."
"Hey there," the sister said brightly. "We were wondering if we could team up with you."
I tilted my head, amused. "Hmm, no. The fight won't last long anyway. Just drop to the ground when the round starts, okay?"
They blinked, surprised. "Why?"
"Because I'm going to use my new spell." I let the sphere in my palm hum with power, its sparks casting a glow across their wide-eyed faces.
"Woah… pretty," the sister whispered, entranced.
"Yeah," I said with a grin. "Pretty dangerous."
"What?"
"I'm not going to explain how it works. Just listen to me and you'll pass." I waved them off, my confidence rising with the crackle of energy in my hand.
The two exchanged a look, then muttered in unison, "Kitsuna really is your sister, huh?"
"What?!" I shouted, louder than necessary, heat rushing to my cheeks.
"Sorry for bothering you!" They bolted before I could snap again.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, time for Group Number 3!!" The commentator's obnoxious voice boomed over the mic.
I huffed, stomping toward the arena. "I'll get those two later. I'm nothing like Kitsuna. She's rough, crude, and reckless. I'm a refined lady," I muttered, repeating it under my breath like a mantra.
Stepping into the arena, I moved to the center, ensuring my spell would reach everyone. The crowd roared, the air buzzing with anticipation.
"Oh, you want to take everyone on at once?" Someone sneered from beside me, grinning.
"Hm. I don't think this will even be a fight," I murmured softly, but his ears caught it. His grin twisted into a scowl.
"Hahaha, little noble lady, you'll be the first to die," he said, elbowing his friend with a conspiratorial smirk.
His friend frowned. "If you do that, the poor girl will suffer."
"So what? She deserves it."
"Sigh. How are we even friends?" The friend muttered, shaking his head.
I ignored them, focusing on the sphere glowing brighter in my hand. This isn't just training anymore. The sphere is proof. Proof I'm not just Kitsuna's shadow.