Prince of Gluttony: Born from Betrayal

Time passed and Cain still hadn't succeeded. Jayden had always stayed just outside of his reach as if she was taunting him and now the strain of having sparred with both the instructor and her had begun to show.

His clothes clung to him as he was drenched with sweat and each breath was a laborous task.

His chest rose and fell in heavy rhythm, and his wooden blades now felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each. Bruises had started forming along his arms and ribs, a testament to the sharp, precise strikes she had landed with her wooden sword.

Jayden stood opposite him, calm and focused. Her weapon rested lightly in her hand, not a hint of tension in her posture. She had already struck him several times, not holding back nearly as much as she probably should have. Yet there was no gloating in her expression. If anything, she looked pleased. Whether it was with him or herself he did not know.

"You're persistent," Jayden said as she circled him. Her voice was even, her gaze sharp. "I'll give you that."

Cain didn't answer. He was too busy trying to keep his footing steady, his vision clear. But his eyes stayed locked on her, still burning with that same stubborn fire.

Jayden stepped forward and struck again. Cain barely deflected it, his blade sliding against hers with a wooden whack that echoed painfully in everyone's ear.

The force still pushed him back.

"That was better," she said, taking another step in. "But you're thinking too much."

Cain growled low in his throat and went for a counterattack, but she pivoted smoothly, her sword smacking into his ribs once again.

He staggered, biting back the pain.

Jayden didn't press the advantage. She just watched.

Cain wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm, blinking hard to clear his sight.

He knew he couldn't match her in technique. Not yet.

But he could outlast her, his month in the abyss was all the proof and confidence he needed to know that.

A continuous use of a skill for a month straight would have killed a lesser man and it would have killed Cain if not for his extreme mana regeneration. While not as effective as plain stamina, he was able to keep going on by using mana as a substitute for his depleted energy.

Jayden noticed it.

She wasn't sure how, but she could feel it in the way he moved. There was no hesitation, no sign of him giving up, even when his body screamed in protest. He was exhausted, bruised, and probably near his limit. But there was no fear in his eyes. No doubt either.

She exhaled softly through her nose.

He was still standing.

"You're stubborn too," she murmured, lowering her stance just a little.

Cain didn't reply. He couldn't. His focus was narrowed to a single point. Her. His legs shook slightly under him, but he pushed forward, raising one of his blades again for another strike.

Jayden blocked it cleanly, her wrist turning with practiced ease before she knocked his arm aside and tapped his shoulder with the tip of her wooden sword.

"Point."

Cain gritted his teeth and stepped back.

"Again?" she asked.

He nodded.

She tilted her head. "You sure? You're going to collapse at this rate."

"I can take it," Cain managed between gasps.

Jayden's lips twitched, just barely. Not quite a smile. More like a nod of recognition.

"Alright then. Let's go."

They resumed. One clash at a time. One step, one breath, one block.

And still, he didn't fall.

Not yet.

He had no idea why that answer of his seemed to please Jayden. Was she getting a kick out of beating him like this? Was this the revenge she had sought after last night. Each of those questions nagged at his mind but he forcefully put it aside as a daring plan came to mind.

It was risky.

Jayden was too fast and her reflexes were sharp. Trying anything fancy would probably just open him up to another punishing strike. But if he wanted to land a hit, if he wanted to prove he wasn't just some punching bag, then he needed to take the risk.

He adjusted his grip on the twin blades and shifted his stance. His body ached in protest but he ignored it.

Jayden's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"You're planning something."

Cain didn't respond. He charged. Then he threw his weapons. One straight up while the other was thrown at her before he used his blink t disappear from her line of sight.

"Foolish." She remarked as she saw a shadow block out the setting sun and instinctively swung her sword at it. However to her surprise, what she had hit was his jacket. The tap of a wooden sword against her back confirmed his location.

He had tricked her in that brief moment he had escaped from her sight.

"...That's a point," he muttered, completely drained before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

The training ring was silent.

Nobody could believe what they had just witnessed.

Cain had landed a hit. A clean, undeniable point against Jayden. And by her own rules, that meant he had won.

Murmurs broke out among the students. Some looked at each other in disbelief. Others leaned forward as if they still weren't sure if they had seen it right.

Jayden stood frozen for a moment, her back still slightly turned from where Cain had touched her. Her sword hung at her side as her gaze shifted to the boy lying in the dirt.

His chest rose and fell with slow, shallow breaths. He had pushed himself beyond his limit. No cocky grin. No final glare of defiance. He was just… asleep.

Jayden blinked slowly.

A light blush crept up her cheeks, but she kept her face otherwise unreadable. She could feel the stares, feel the weight of expectation from everyone around her. After all, she had made a deal before the fight. If he landed a hit, he'd get a gift. That was the rule. Her rule.

And now she had to honor it.

She approached him and crouched beside his unconscious form. His face was peaceful in a way that almost annoyed her. He looked completely at ease. Like he had no regrets.

She looked him over, noting the bruises, the strained muscles, the way his body refused to move. He had been holding himself together with sheer will alone. She hadn't expected him to last that long, let alone come up with something clever enough to actually tag her.

"I might've pushed you too hard," she murmured under her breath.

He didn't respond. His only answer was the steady rhythm of his breathing.

Jayden let out a quiet sigh and stood up, brushing some dust off her pants. She turned to the students who were still gawking like they had seen a ghost.

"Show's over. Go train."

No one moved at first, but a sharp glance from her was all it took.

They scattered.

With the crowd now gone, Jayden looked back at Cain once more.

Her heart was racing for what was to come. She was going to stake her claim.

He was going to be hers.