Mavuika leaped back to avoid it, a flash of seriousness in her eyes.
She no longer merely defended; the next time Hela charged, Mavuika did not dodge, but met her head-on.
Bringing her hands together in front of her chest and then spreading them outward, a ring of blazing light erupted with her as the center. It wasn't an aggressive Impact, but a gentle yet irresistible push.
Hela was pushed back several steps by the halo, only neutralizing the force by crossing her twin swords in front of her.
She looked up and saw that where Mavuika stood, the ground had turned slightly red, and the air was distorted by the high temperature.
"Now it's my turn," Mavuika said, her voice calm.
Flames rose from her hands, and the temperature of the entire Training Ground soared—not a scorching roast, but a warm, life-filled heatwave.
Hela felt her Shadow Blade begin to destabilize, the emerald green light fluctuating in the high heat.
She gritted her teeth and poured more power into the twin swords; the blades became more solid, almost like genuine obsidian weapons.
Mavuika's attack began. She used no fancy techniques, just the simplest straight punches, palm strikes, and kicks, but every strike was wrapped in pure flame, and the trajectory of every blow was terrifyingly precise.
The flames sometimes condensed like a hammer, sometimes spread like a shield, and sometimes transformed into a flexible whip, entining, restraining, and guiding.
Hela found herself forced into a passive position.
No matter how she attacked, Mavuika always found the most effective way to respond.
The advantage of the twin swords gradually vanished before the versatility of the flames, and it became increasingly difficult for her attacks to reach her sister's body.
Unwillingness burned in her heart, more intense than any flame.
After parrying one of Mavuika's Flaming Palm Strikes, Hela used the force to retreat, crossing her twin swords in front of her.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath; when she opened them again, her emerald green pupils seemed to have an abyss swirling within them.
"Watch out, Sister," she whispered, her voice carrying a strange resonance.
The twin swords shattered, reverting to raw energy, but they did not dissipate; instead, they flowed back like a tide, covering Hela's entire body.
Emerald green light flowed and condensed on the surface of her body, eventually forming the faint outline of a suit of armor. The spaulders were sharp as blades, the cuirass was engraved with ferocious patterns, and the helmet was styled like the skull of some fierce beast.
The spectators on the sidelines held their breath; even Odin leaned forward slightly, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
"Death Divine Power... spontaneously manifesting as armor," Frigga said softly, gripping her husband's hand. "She's only seven years old."
Hela moved. This time, her speed reached a new level, almost turning into an emerald green afterimage.
The ground of the Training Ground cracked beneath her feet—not from destruction, but from the pressure of a heavy force field filled with the aura of death.
Mavuika's expression finally turned solemn; she could feel that her sister's current state was different from before.
Flames constructed layers of barriers in front of her, each one shattering under Hela's Impact.
"Not enough!" Hela shouted, her voice muffled yet majestic coming through the armor.
She clasped her hands together, and all the emerald green energy converged in her palms, forming a massive Claymore. The blade was taller than she was, and wherever the edge passed, even light seemed to be swallowed.
She raised the giant sword high and slashed down with all her might toward Mavuika.
This was a strike that condensed all of Hela's power—without reservation, without hesitation.
Along the trajectory of the giant sword's fall, even space seemed to wail.
On the sidelines, several young warriors instinctively backed away; Brynhildr gripped her sword hilt, and Frigga stood up.
Only Odin remained seated, his eyes fixed on Mavuika.
Facing this sword strike capable of splitting mountains, Mavuika did not dodge but chose to withstand it head-on.
Her hands ignited with the glow of flames as she crossed them in front of her, forcefully blocking Hela's slash.
"Boom—!!"
With a deafening roar, a visible Impact spread outward from the two of them as the center, kicking up clouds of dust.
The surrounding onlookers were all filled with astonishment; this level of power was considered formidable even among Asgardian warriors.
And the two protagonists causing such a commotion were only seven-year-old girls.
Hela gripped the sword with both hands, her teeth clenched, using every ounce of her strength to try and push the blade further down.
But Mavuika's arms were as immovable as a mountain; instead, she was slowly pushing Hela's giant sword back out.
Noticing from the corner of her eye that Hela had used all her strength, Mavuika, after a brief stalemate, suddenly increased her power by another notch.
Hela could no longer hold on and was sent flying back, sword and all.
She stumbled back several steps and ultimately failed to steady herself, landing hard on her backside.
As Hela's strength failed, the giant sword and crown she had constructed began to dissipate, reverting once more to raw energy.
Mavuika slowly exhaled and withdrew the flames surrounding her.
She stepped forward, stopped in front of Hela, reached out, and gently pulled her sister up.
"You did very well," Mavuika said, her voice a bit tired but full of sincerity. "Better than I expected."
Hela looked up, her emerald green eyes filled with shock and unwillingness.
Just then, Odin's voice came from the high platform.
"Alright, that's enough."
The God-King stood up and walked down from the platform, his footsteps exceptionally clear in the silent Training Ground.
He walked up to his two daughters, his single eye sweeping over them before finally resting on Mavuika.
"A splendid duel; you both did well," Odin said with a hint of praise in his tone.
Then he nodded and turned to the crowd. "The sparring is over. Everyone, return to your posts."
Mavuika and Hela stood side by side, watching the crowd disperse.
Only they remained on the Training Ground, along with the receding silhouettes of their parents.
"I still lost," Hela said suddenly, her voice muffled.
Mavuika looked at her. "You've improved very quickly. It wasn't easy for me to win today either. I believe it won't be long before you can surpass me."
"Besides," Mavuika smiled and patted Hela's small head, "is it that shameful to lose to me?"
Hela froze for a moment, then shook her head.
"Exactly," Mavuika smiled, putting an arm around her sister's shoulder.
"We have a long future ahead of us; a momentary win or loss doesn't represent anything."
Hela pondered these words, the unwillingness in her eyes gradually replaced by a new light.
"Next time," she said, turning to look at Mavuika, her emerald green eyes reigniting with fighting spirit, "next time, I will definitely defeat you, Sister!"
"I look forward to it," Mavuika said seriously.
The two sisters smiled at each other, and all the tension and confrontation from the earlier battle vanished in that smile.
They turned and left the Training Ground, the setting sun stretching their shadows long, intimately overlapping on the ground as if they had never been apart.