"So, do you have anything in mind for the date?" Adam asked. He took a seat on the couch and had some tea like usual. After agreeing to the contract there wasn't any other thing he could do, if she didn't have a plan he'd come up with one.
"I've got a plan. You will enjoy it too." Esdeath made herself comfortable on his thighs, her hand wrapped around his neck. "Are you ready for it, Dear~?"
'I should've guessed it would be like this.' Feeling her breath on his lips, he looked into her crystal-clear blue eyes. This was about to be a long and arduous date.
"I am ready." His agreement brought a big smile to Esdeath's face.
But, that smile was nothing compared to her smile during the Date.
"Hah* Isn't this fun, Dear?" With heavy breaths and a flushed face, she sought his approval from above.
"…It is quite fun." He said.
What were they doing?
"Indeed. I've never had such fun while hunting Danger Beasts before!" She cackled reducing a herd of beasts into shards of ice with a wave of her hand.
Esdeath had done this hundreds, or thousands of times, it was the same move used against the same weak beasts that could never measure up to her heels. Yet, today it felt so utterly satisfying that she couldn't contain her joy.
'This… this must be the bliss of being with the one you love.' She looked at him with a feverish gaze. With simple punches and kicks he turned the danger beasts into pieces of meat.
It was pure physical strength and that was the part about Adam that she liked the most, but also had trouble accepting. He was too strong. Even when fighting her he never used anything more than physical strength. And she knew that it wasn't his limit. Because even in that carnage, not a drop of blood touched him.
She loved every part of him.
'That style of punching… let me try it!' Esdeath let a few Danger Beasts slip through and sheathed her sword.
When the beast was within range she cocked her right hand. The fist moved like a blur and struck the beast right into its gut. With an impact similar to a canon the attack obliterated the poor beast into pieces, but she wasn't happy. It didn't have the same impact and grace as Adam.
The path of the punch, the measured power behind it, the angle of his fist, the positioning of the legs, the point of contact, and the sense of distance he had to steer clear of blood and meat pieces. All that combined to form a devastating impact that had the perfect force to simply blow away the one it landed on. She felt that if it landed on someone else it wouldn't do the same amount of damage. As the damage itself was deliberately kept on the dot to bring the result.
'To keep all of that in account and change it for every beast depending on their type and weight. He does that all in a moment. Like he has all the time in the world… Brilliant!' Esdeath tried to copy it, yet her control over the power wasn't precise. The time limit she had to process it all wasn't enough.
So, she had to create more time with her own means.
"Mahapadma." The movement around her came to a halt, the charging beasts, the flying birds above, and the leaves carried by the wind. It all stopped in their tracks as Esdeath poured her focus on the closest Beast.
Thinking over her strength and the one needed to accomplish the task. She began to move, her eyes searching for the place to connect her fist. Then the path, the effective power, the positioning of her body, and still keeping the next target in mind. It took her time, more than expected as the flow of time continued, but more than enough.
The moment her attack landed on the leopard-like Danger beast, its body exploded into small chunks of meat as a rain of its blood poured down. Most of it missed Esdeath but a good amount of blood splashed on her. By the time the next Beast came, she didn't have enough time to process the data, so its head was smashed under her heel.
"That was impressive." Adam clapped. Hearing that she froze every Danger Beast's legs, halting their advance with ease.
"I think you are more impressive." She couldn't understand how he did it every time without stopping time like she did.
"Well, that is because I already know how to do it, and you just started. That was far more impressive than my first try." Adam had to work a lot just to reach the point Esdeath started at by observing him. Her natural talent couldn't be ignored.
"How long did it take you to get it down?" She asked, planning to beat that time.
"About a year or two." Though his answer did shock her. Stopping time was something she couldn't do more than twice a day even when pushing herself.
So aside from that she'd be stuck in practicing, but still she didn't think it would be possible to get this down in a year or two for every opponent. Maybe in three to four years, she may be able to reach his level of accuracy with Mahapadma's assistance. But, not in two years.
"See I told you. You are the impressive one after all." Esdeath smiled knowing how good her choice was. "Now, let's do this again!"
The Danger Beast wave continued. Just because her logic told her that she couldn't do it in two years, doesn't mean she'll stop trying. Esdeath would still strive to do it, but that was an excuse to extend their hunting date.
"Hunting is so fun!!" Esdeath loved the exhilaration that came with hunting. Right now she didn't have a purpose for this mindless cleansing. Normally she wouldn't even bother with Danger Beasts this weak.
But, with Adam with her, the joy had exploded even further. Feeling him watch her back sends jolts of happiness through her body, in response she ignored her limits and started to grow again. So far, Esdeath had never got a real challenge.
All her life she had been the strongest. No matter where she had looked there wasn't anyone who could match her level. But, now she had someone to chase after like others thought of her. And this person was none other than the man she considered her future husband.
It was a two-in-one bonus. Before she thought that a strong enough person who wouldn't be crushed under her shoes would suffice. But, now there wasn't any way she'd accept that.
Thus, their date continued till the end of the night. The sun rose from the horizon as Esdeath had killed most of the Danger Beasts she had gathered for the occasion trying to learn Adam's moves. Although the progress has been next to none, she still felt satisfied enough to show a blooming smile. The reason was the thing they were doing right now atop a flat mountain.
"This is really delicious for salted meat!" Esdeath chopped down on the slice of grilled meat, and a burst of juices and flavors danced on her tongue. "I demand more!"
...
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