Aside from being super sharp and could cut through anything, the Scythe of Nightflame had a unique feature in which it could turn its shape into a gold ring. Therefore, Alice could carry her signature weapon anywhere without being looked upon by the crowd.
Now that she could leave her fashion company into its own machinations, Momo was appointed as Alice's second in command, ensuring every project went as planned.
Catharina had also informed about Alice's training under Lady Hanako's tutelage. She wanted to return to the village and helped Alice. But the little demoness rejected that idea sternly. Catharina's presence and the members of the House of Huntress were needed to keep the Arlenheim Kingdom in order.
With those in mind, Alice could focus herself in training.
A few days later, Alice went to Lady Hanako's place, ready to begin her training.
However, there were a few customers in the front store. Alice waited patiently until the cat lady finished her business. Before long, two succubi left her shop. They giggled girlishly with a pouch of herb dangling on their waist.
"Fufu, I can't wait to try this herb on that huge stud. I wish he could pound both of us all night long!"
"Thank you for your patronage." Lady Hanako stood on the porch while bowing toward the departing customers.
Alice smiled wryly when Lady Hanako's gaze met with hers. "Good afternoon, Lady Hanako. Your new business is booming, huh?"
"Thanks to Succubi's bottomless appetite… Well, why are you just standing there? Come on in."
"Sure…"
A short while later, Alice was sitting in front of Lady Hanako in a seiza position and there was six and half feet distance between them.
"Let us begin the lesson… Close your eyes, take a deep breath and pay attention to my words."
Alice followed the instruction. She entered the meditation state as she exhaled a long breath.
At the same time, Lady Hanako deployed the energy barrier. But this time, she added some modification within her barrier.
"Lesson number one; a dungeon is no place to try your luck. Most of the time, you'll be facing enemies amidst the perpetual darkness. You'll need an ability to fight blind. To see, with all your senses."
Alice was confident about fighting in the darkness. Her keen senses were able to pick up any presence of living beings easily.
However, Lady Hanako didn't mention that the dungeon was a place where all kinds of creatures dwelled within the darkness. It's something that needed to be experienced by Alice herself, not taught or told.
Lady Hanako extended her In-Yo aura outward, she slapped Alice's cheek, the latter was flung across the room due the sheer raw power behind it. Alice couldn't even comprehend what just happened, all she could feel was the burning sensation on her left cheek.
[Critical Hit!]
[HP: 400/1,000]
"What was that?!" Alice leaned forward on her knees, rubbing the tingling cheek.
Lady Hanako spoke sternly. "That was a warning shot. If this was a real dungeon, you'd be dead by now. In the dungeon you only have yourself. Don't wish for mercy from others, because you shall receive none."
Still feeling dizzy after that raw slap, Alice sat back to her previous position. No tears were visible on her eyes.
"Please continue."
"Good. We will repeat this lesson until you're unable to get up or when you are able to stop my attack. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Master. I understand."
"Very well. Let's turn off the light."
Slap!
Crack!
Buk!
Alice was completely owned, she was being ragdolled around the room restlessly. Luckily, her health regeneration was fast enough to compensate for the damage.
Eventually, Alice could see the pattern and trajectory of the attacks. When the attack was just an inch away from her face, Alice unleashed her demonic aura to deflect it. But her opponent was a sentient being who could also sense the subtle change in the air.
As a result, a heavy uppercut landed on Alice's chin. It sent her flying across the room.
[Critical Hit!]
[HP: 200/1,000]
'What the hell? It was just a light punch, yet I was launched high in the air."
Urrghh…
Alice grunted in pain, she crawled on the floor, reaching for the door helplessly. She managed to pull the door's handle, the fresh air rushed into her lungs.
"What's the matter? Giving up already? I thought you were going to reclaim your homeland."
Alice gripped the door's handle firmly and she shut it tightly. "No. I will not give up. Again!"
"That's more like it."
The torturous training continued, yet Alice couldn't stop the invisible attack just yet. Though her health regeneration did its magic, Lady Hanako increased the damage output on each punch.
As of now, Alice's HP bar was incredibly low. It would only take it a single hit, and Alice would be gone forever.
"One last time!"
"You'd die if you take another hit."
"Then so be it! I'd prefer dying in your hands rather than being gangbanged by the dungeon's monsters."
"Well said." Lady Hanako smirked wide. "Prepare yourself."
The darkness returned as the door was shut. The sound of her movements vanished entirely, no steps, no air shifts, no warning. It was as if the world itself held its breath.
Alice knelt still, both hands clenched into fists on her thighs. Her body was shaking, blood dripping from her temple, her lips cracked, her breathing ragged. She had barely a shred of energy left, yet her heart didn't waver.
This time, she didn't use her aura. She didn't react out of panic. Instead, she completely gave her whole being into this moment.
She shut everything else off.
In the dark of that sealed barrier, where even mana itself thinned into obscurity, Alice sank into the silence. Her world shrank to her heartbeat… and then even that faded into the background.
A flicker. No, not even that—a tremble in the space just ahead of her. A movement that didn't stir the wind, but brushed her awareness like a single falling petal.
'There!'
Alice moved on instinct.
Clang!
Sparks flew. Her scythe sliced through the air and met something mid-strike. The force behind the blow cracked the wooden floor beneath her knees, but this time, she held her ground. Barely.
She didn't block it. She parried it. Redirected it just enough to keep her head from flying off.
The room stood still for a moment.
Lady Hanako's silhouette became visible once more in the darkness, just a foot away from Alice, her hand caught mid-swing—two fingers pressed against the edge of the scythe's blade.
A smile slowly bloomed across the cat-woman's lips.
"…You finally stopped it."
"I did it! Hahaha! Finally!"