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"Martial Fire Bending Master Fire Axe Kick of World Ender!!" Mars yelled out a word-vomit of an attack name as he spun in the air, legs wreathed in flame, bringing his heel down like a hammer.
PANG!
Vespa, the target of the attack, blocked Mars's strike with a golden whip made of mana, slashing him back in the same motion.
The impact sent sparks scattering across the sky, Mars's flames fanning out and spreading around Vespa like a curtain of fire.
"What's wrong, Mars'es Pou? Is your ultimate attack not enough to handle a little old cow?"
"Don't call me that! And what kind of person fights with a whip!?" Mars skidded back across the stone, smoke rising from his sleeves.
"Someone who has experience." Vespa licked her lips as she snapped the whip out, knocking back all the flames and heading straight for Mars.
Crack!
"Shit—"
She yanked him forward by the forearm, dragging Mars to the ground in front of her, looking pitiful.
Groaning, he opened his eyes and looked up to see Vespa standing above him, proud and dominant.
Especially from this angle. Her long legs and thighs were imposing, dark skin glistening with sweat like she'd been sculpted by someone who knew exactly what they were doing.
'God damn.'
Sneaking a look, Mars took her whole figure in.
Gulp.
Vespa glanced down and caught him staring. A slow, venomous smile spread across her face.
"Oh my. Aren't you getting a good view down there, sugar?" She shifted her weight to one leg, cocking her hip out and giving Mars an even better look. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you're wanting to take me up on my offer from earlier."
Vespa lowered herself to the ground, getting up close to Mars's face, her chest right in front of him, close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating off her skin.
"We could keep it a secret between us," she whispered, her breath brushing against his ear. "No one has to know if we get busy tonight, cutie. I'll even let you use my other hole."
Mars's entire face went nuclear. His flames flickered to life involuntarily along his shoulders, sputtering like a broken furnace.
"I— you— that's—"
"Vespa." Arthur's voice cut across the yard. Flat. Final. "We're training."
Vespa pouted but pulled back, rising to her feet in one fluid motion. She gave Mars a wink as she stood.
"Saved by the boss. Maybe next time."
Mars scrambled to his feet, every inch of him red from his neck to the tips of his ears. He jabbed a finger at Vespa without looking at her.
"You are a MENACE. An absolute MENACE."
"Thank you." Vespa curtsied, somehow making even that look suggestive.
From the sideline, Amy had both hands pressed over her mouth, her hazel eyes wide. Whether from shock or something else, her blush rivaled Mars's.
'She said... the other...?'
Amy shook her head violently, trying to fling the thought out.
Garrett sat slumped against the wall, facing it. He'd already tasted defeat at Vespa's hands though the sulking wasn't from the guilt of losing.
'Mira. Mira. Beautiful Mira. The only woman in the world is Mira. I will not betray you, I promise.'
Angela stood with her arms crossed, expression unchanged. But her ears had turned pink and she hadn't blinked in about fifteen seconds.
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose.
'I told her not to tease during the rounds.'
He exhaled and raised his voice. "Alright. Enough. Reset positions we're going again. Mars, if you can't focus because of a pair of legs, you'll lose a lot worse than this in the tournament."
"IT WASN'T JUST THE LEGS—" Mars stopped himself. Closed his eyes and took a breath. "I'm fine. Let's go."
"That's what I thought." Arthur looked at Vespa. "And you fight. Stop flirting."
Vespa shrugged, twirling the mana whip back into existence.
"Can't blame a girl for trying."
—
The rest of the training went without a hitch except for the part where everyone got a beating, Arthur included, left face-first in the dirt more times than he cared to count.
By the time they finished, Arthur had gotten the practice he needed against someone of higher cultivation even if the circumstances surrounding it were, to put it mildly, unique.
The three of them sat together afterward, drinking water, cooling down from their efforts.
Arthur took a seat next to Vespa.
"Hey. Thanks for coming out and helping."
"Of course. No problem at all." Vespa leaned over, pressing her shoulder against his. "You know I can be here anytime you want, baby." She tilted her head, voice dropping. "Just know I can do much more than just this."
"I know. Actually, I've got a better idea of what you should do with those talents."
Vespa turned her head, ears perked. "Oh? Do tell."
Arthur leaned in, whispering so nobody else could hear.
Vespa's expression shifted a slow tingle of excitement, a wide smile creeping across her face.
Seeing that she'd taken his words to heart, Arthur nodded and walked over to Amy, dropping down beside her on the ground.
"Hey. Good work today. You picked up those skills well."
"Thanks." Amy's face lit up. "I've been working on them on my own time. Ever since you showed me I could use my bloodline that way, it's changed how I see fights entirely."
"Good but don't get too comfortable with it. Stay flexible. You don't want to go rigid in battle and get stuck in a rut."
"No, I know. That's why I'm trying to expand on what you taught me. I want to build out my whole arsenal be a more versatile mage. That way I'm not stuck on the back line forever."
Amy tightened her hand around her staff, eyes bright with genuine hunger. The motivation radiating off her small frame was easy to feel.
Arthur smiled at that.
He got up and walked away, a quiet satisfaction settling over him.
Everything seemed to be falling into place. His plans were moving, pieces landing where he needed them but it was almost going too well.
'I gotta stay on my toes. Can't get complacent.'
If he could just deal with Robin, he'd be in a strong position heading into the tournament. And if he could crack this formula on top of that he'd be even better off.