Diana was completely spacing out, though she didn't mean to.
She found the situation… awkward.
Which made no sense.Yesterday at dinner, everything had been perfectly normal. So why now?
She had told herself that she was coming to Max's training spot to see the girls. That was the plan. That was the intention.
But when Max told her she'd just missed them,and even offered to take her to them,she had refused immediately. Instinctively. Before she could even think about it.
Which led to a very troubling question:
Was she really here for the girls… or to see Max?
No. No, that couldn't be it.
…Or could it? Maybe both? She didn't know. And for some reason, the thought made her chest tighten in a way she couldn't explain.
Should she leave now, make an excuse and fly off?
Or… should she remind him about the spar?
Just to stay a little longer.
Why she wanted to stay?.She doesn't know either.
She was snapped out of her spiraling thoughts by Max snapping his fingers in front of her face.
"Diana?"
She blinked. "Yes?"
"Is there anything else you'd like me to help you with?" Max repeated.
"Yes," Diana said a bit too quickly. "How about that spar?"
"Right now?" Max asked.
"Yes. Is there a problem?" she replied calmly.
"No, it's fine," Max said.
He then shifted into his stance feet apart, one forward, one back. His left hand slipped behind him, his right hand lifted, palm facing her.
"Ready when you are then."
Diana launched herself forward in a blur that kicked up dust.Her fist shot toward Max's face. Max tilted his head to the left with casual precision. Her elbow followed immediately, sharp and fast, but Max caught it easily in the palm of his hand. He stepped in, foot sliding behind hers, their proximity closer than either expected for a moment,before he pushed her back by the elbow. Diana flipped away, landing with distance between them.
"We've clashed a lot of times," Max said. "And each time, I've noticed something. Wanna know what it is?"
"What is it?" Diana asked.
"Your fighting style is decent, but you rely too much on your strength. When you miss, you overshoot. And there are openings,small and hard to see, but they're there. Come, I'll show you."
Max slipped into his stance again.
Diana charged, this time leading with a high kick. Max ducked under it, and as her leg passed, he tapped it with a kick of his own. Diana flowed with the motion, spinning into a second kick. Max leaned back, fist hardening with Haki as he countered. She caught the punch with her bracer,the impact cracking the ground beneath her feet. She grabbed his arm and tossed him.
Max flipped through the air and landed lightly.
Her lasso snapped out, slicing through where he'd stood a heartbeat earlier. She whipped it again; Max caught it midair, tugging. She pulled back. The cord tightened between them.
Max felt himself sliding forward and frowned slightly Before activating the Fourth Gate. His skin flushed faintly red, muscles tightening as he layered Haki over them. He pulled. Hard.
Diana was yanked off balance toward him. Max threw a punch.
She dropped low, gliding under his arm, her hand still gripping the lasso. As soon as she landed, she pulled. Max reacted instantly, flipping. The lasso wrapped around his foot. The sudden shift jerked Diana toward him.
His other foot came down.
She raised her guard just in time.
The kick slammed into her bracers and sent her crashing into the ground with a heavy impact. Dust rolled outward. She winced, eyes opening just in time to see Max's fist stopping inches from her face. The wind pressure blew the dust off her armor.
For a brief second, their eyes met.
Max withdrew his fist and offered her a hand. She took it, his grasp firm and warm as he pulled her to her feet.
"You saw what I meant, didn't you?" Max asked.
"Yes," Diana admitted. "But I thought this was supposed to be a spar, not a lecture."
"It was a spar," Max said. "A spar is meant to teach you something. You noticed your flaws. That means you'll improve."
"I suppose you're right," she said quietly.
Max nodded. "Your main focus is swordsmanship anyway. You excel there. And for the record,don't use your lasso against someone who can overpower you. As you saw… it backfired."
"…Noted," Diana said.
"If you want us to continue, we can,and I can point out more I missed," Max said.
"I think that's enough for one day. I'll keep losing anyway," Diana replied.
"I never thought I'd hear those words from your mouth… with your Amazon code and all that," Max said.
"What do you mean?" Diana asked.
"I mean admitting defeat," Max said with a smirk.
"I never said that. I just acknowledge I can't beat you for the time being. Besides, my Amazon code is to never yield when faced with an opponent ,which I haven't broken," Diana said firmly.
"So… you're saying you'll beat me one day?" Max asked, eyebrow raised, amusement dripping from his tone.
"Precisely," Diana replied.
Silence fell for a moment. Max snorted, trying his best not to laugh. Diana frowned. But he couldn't hold it,he burst out laughing.
"Are you mocking me?" Diana asked, frowning, her hand slowly drifting toward the sword on her back.
"No, it's just that,whoa, hey!" Max exclaimed, diving aside as her blade whistled past him.
He jumped back to evade but then something caught his attention.instinct took over.
Max surged forward. Diana charged, sword poised. Her blade grazed his left armpit, but his left hand snaked behind her waist, pulling her aside. Her eyes widened, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
Max's right hand shot out. Preta Path activated. The Dust Release jutsu was drawn into his palm and absorbed until nothing remained.
When it faded, the forest had been ravaged. A long, clean path stretched from where they stood all the way toward Nina, hundreds of meters away, everything in its path atomized.
Earlier
Nina squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on balancing the ratios of wind, fire, and earth chakra. She recalled Max's advice: visualize what the jutsu does as a whole.
She started by mixing wind and fire chakra, then added a small amount of earth chakra. A faint glow emanated from her palms, and a small cone began to form. Her eyes lit up with delight as the white cylinder of Dust Release began to wobble.
Panic surged. She injected more chakra into it to stabilize the jutsu, and it steadied. A smirk tugged at her lips,she had done it!
But then it grew. Rapidly. Expanding into a massive beam that sliced uncontrollably through the forest. Nina struggled to contain it, her hands flailing as it shot in multiple directions, tearing through trees and earth alike. With a trembling breath, she cut off her chakra supply.
The jutsu dissipated, leaving devastation in its wake. Trees were obliterated, the earth carved. Nina's heart pounded as she looked to where she had last aimed the techniqueand froze.
Max stood there. One arm raised, the other holding Diana by the waist.He did not look ammused.
Her stomach dropped,Max was really going to misunderstad this one
---
Max quickly let go of Diana, coughing to suppress the small blush threatening to rise. He muttered a quiet apology, but Diana was still too stunned to hear it,both from shock and the boldness of his move. Her eyes were fixed on the destruction before them. She had sensed the attack, but just a moment too late, and judging by the aftermath, if it had hit, it would have surely surely stung.
Before Diana could speak, Nina appeared in a swirl of leaves. Max, however, spoke first. "Nina Schiller… care to explain?" he asked, his tone calm, but the anger underlying it was unmistakable.
I know it's kinda cringe but it is what It is so bare with me.
End of chapter.