"Forget reaction speed. Let's test strength instead!"
Marcus Lee swiftly grabbed all the cups on the table and set them aside.
Without giving her a chance to refuse, he smirked, placing his right arm on the table and assuming an arm-wrestling stance.
In terms of reaction speed, he was no match for her.
So he chose to play to his strengths.
Not only that, but he also put on his signature smile, eyes sparkling with anticipation as he stared at Shinobu Kocho.
Shinobu's fair forehead showed faint veins, and her warm, sunlit smile wavered for a moment.
She truly had not expected Marcus to be so shameless.
Unlike most swordsmen, he didn't act overly reserved or overly respectful in front of a Pillar. He dared to be bold, even a little cheeky.
"Strength training first, is that not allowed?"
Marcus feigned confusion, tilting his head slightly.
"Without sufficient strength, you cannot sever a demon's neck… I suffered for it during the Final Selection," Shinobu replied.
He wasn't plotting anything. As a low-ranking swordsman, his intentions were pure. He simply felt that his strength was lacking.
Shinobu glanced at Kanaho to the side, but before she could speak, Marcus interrupted quickly.
"Insect Pillar?"
The title was polite, but his tone carried a subtle sense of urging.
He wasn't foolish. Though Kanaho was female, she was strong. He had no confidence in winning an arm-wrestling match against her.
Faced with Marcus' persistent insistence, Shinobu hesitated slightly, then extended her right hand.
Her arm was slender, her hand delicate, almost too small to wield a Nichirin blade.
Beneath her smooth, pale skin, faint blue veins were visible. Her knuckles were soft, nails short, neat, and pink a sign of health.
Marcus grasped her hand. It felt slightly cool. Before he could react further, she tensed her muscles. Her breathing remained steady, and the veins beneath her skin became more pronounced.
"!!"
At the same moment, Marcus entered full concentration, focusing on his Water Breathing techniques.
If he lost now, it would be humiliating beyond belief.
He drew oxygen deep into his abdomen, letting it circulate through his body. Years of disciplined training had built a solid foundation, evidenced by the calluses on his palms from countless hours of sword practice.
After a brief struggle, Marcus noticed Shinobu was giving her all.
He feigned weakness, letting his arm slowly tilt toward his left side.
"I yield!"
Marcus called out immediately.
For him, the outcome didn't matter.
"It's enviable, truly,"
Shinobu said softly after a pause.
"Among all the Pillars, I have the least strength. So little that I cannot even sever a demon's neck."
Her hand under her sleeve clenched slightly. The iconic smile gradually faded.
What was she envying? What was she unwilling to accept?
"So what if my strength is insufficient to sever a demon's neck? Even the sharpest blade has limits. Is it the sword that is weak? I believe it is simply a matter of using it correctly."
"Let's continue with reflex training."
Shinobu's voice was gentle.
"?"
Marcus had a bad feeling.
This was not going to end well.
Her brief display of true feeling was because of him but that didn't mean she had opened her heart to him.
He had made two mistakes.
The first was disrespect.
During the arm wrestling, he hadn't gone all out a fact he realized only afterward.
The woman across from him was not an ordinary person who needed pity or sympathy. Hollow moral lectures wouldn't help at all.
She didn't need them.
The second mistake was underestimating her sense of retribution.
Fortunately, he had not crossed any absolute lines.
"Start!"
"Start!"
Again and again, Aoi's voice sounded, and Marcus endured the small measures of revenge from the girl.
The now-cold medicinal soup splashed on his face repeatedly.
He couldn't react in time, couldn't anticipate the attacks, and could only randomly grab a cup.
Perhaps because his movements were too obvious, he always chose the wrong one.
"Towel!"
In a daze, a clean towel was handed to him.
Marcus took it with a wry smile, wiping the remaining liquid from his face.
"A person needs reasons to sustain themselves, whether in battle or training," he muttered.
"What are you saying?"
Aoi looked at him, puzzled by his quiet mumbling.
"Nothing."
Marcus waved it off casually. Deep down, he knew exactly what problem he faced.
Once the resolve to fight had faltered, without reasons to battle or train, it was impossible to commit wholeheartedly. There was no mindset to give everything.
With an escape route available, he no longer possessed the all-or-nothing determination he had during the Final Selection.
No room to retreat meant drawing the sword, facing a fight to the death… after several days of rest, his strength might be less than before.