NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
Boom — Stars burst, thoughts break, and when I opened my eyes…
I was lying down, and from the corner of my vision, Leona was massaging my legs.
“Ah, you’re awake!”
“Awake? What are you talking about? That last punch was packed with emotion…”
“As your master, I must naturally stop you from doing foolish things!”
“…What?!”
I whipped up my upper body despite my aching body.
I was starving.
With mana gushing out of my body, I felt hollow inside.
Even my underwear was soaked with sweat, and my whole body felt damp and uncomfortable.
Still, it seemed like the potion I unconsciously consumed earlier wasn’t too bad after all.
I think I absorbed about 70 percent of it.
My body’s performance is insane.
“So, did you absorb the teachings I imparted properly, my disciple?”
“Disciple? Me?”
“Yep!”
“Why would I be your disciple, Vice Headmaster?”
At that moment, the tail of the lion that had been swaying pleasantly stopped, and its ears perked up!
“…What?”
“Why am I the Vice Headmaster’s disciple?”
“W-Well… you did learn from me, right?”
Suddenly, her tone changed.
Was she just pretending to be lively?
“Pfft. I won’t be under someone who punches me and knocks me out like that.”
“Wha-? Uuh…?”
“What kind of master beats their disciple like this? Especially before I realized something important, you retracted your punch and sent me flying!”
With the tch of her clicking tongue, Leona’s tail and ears drooped.
“W-Well, I couldn’t help it…”
“Why?”
“If you tried to implement the technique with your current condition, you would have gone into mana overload and been bedridden for a week…”
“Does that mean you should punch me?”
“…Ugh, I’m sorry…”
“Hmph…”
I stared at Leona, who pitifully lowered her head and continued massaging my legs.
After staring for a while, Leona slowly wagged her tail and asked, “B-But didn’t you learn what I taught quite well…?”
“It’s the footwork, right?”
Gulp — Leona inhaled sharply.
“Nyahaha! I expected it, but honestly realizing it feels weird.”
“How could I not know? But that concept of yours seems broken; do you normally speak like that?”
“Um?! Uh, ahem. A-Anyway! How was the footwork I taught you? It was good, right?”
“…Yeah, it wasn’t bad.”
What Leona taught me was footwork.
Of course, she kept throwing punches and kicks, but by dodging them, I figured it out.
A consistent rhythm and stride.
Though slightly askew, there were predetermined rules and flow.
As I adapted to that, I could start mixing in counterattacks while dodging Leona’s punches. By the last strike, I became able to integrate them into an attack.
I was convinced.
Leona’s master is indeed Arisa.
The image of Arisa remained in my memory.
Her stretched-out fists, swinging legs.
Her breathing, the erratic footwork.
All of that started to slowly connect.
When I tried to mimic her appearance while vaguely recalling it, it felt choppy, but now it flowed like water.
Of course, to move like that adapted to my body would take time and effort, but still, it was a tremendous achievement.
I hate to admit it.
Among the chimpanzees I know, the strongest is Arisa.
If I can only reproduce her movements…
No, if I can modify those movements to my taste, my growth would skyrocket.
Of course, if I took time alone, I could eventually resolve it, but I wouldn’t have expected this rapid growth just like now.
And Leona is connected to Arisa.
While it’s true I didn’t learn directly from Arisa, it could have been passed down from disciple to disciple.
Finding a definite trace is what matters.
That darn girl left not only my technique but also her own one, which couldn’t be found even in Eustetia.
That said…
“Still, I won’t be your disciple.”
Swish — I turned my head.
Does she dare try to swing me around?
Not a chance.
“W-Why…?!”
“I don’t like violent masters like Vice Headmaster!”
“…B-But I even gave you a potion…”
“What kind of potion was that?”
“Uh… I can’t tell you right now…”
“Hmm…”
Leona subtly averted her gaze.
I let out a small sigh and stood up.
Then, recalling the sensation from earlier…
Swish—
I executed a back kick or whatever it was, stopping right in front of Leona’s face.
“Then, please teach me properly.”
“Wha…?!”
Leona looked startled at me.
She seemed not surprised by my kicking, but surprised that I executed a technique.
“If you teach me, I’ll be the Vice Headmaster’s disciple.”
“A-Ah ha ha! I’ve been underestimating you all this time.”
“Will you teach me?”
“…Yeah. But not today.”
“Why not? Now that I’ve got a grasp on it, I could just finish it up quickly. Plus, tomorrow’s the weekend, so there won’t be any lectures.”
She frowned, lowering the leg she had extended.
“Because you won’t be able to stand afterwards!”
“What do you… wait…?”
Thud.
I fell over.
“…Ugh.”
I had no strength in my legs.
Not just my legs; I couldn’t muster strength in my waist and abdomen either.
Is it really this exhausting after just a little sparring…?
No way, is it really that back kick thing that did this?
It’s absurd.
Denying it in my mind, I awkwardly moved my body to get back up.
Thud.
I fell again.
“…Dammit.”
Even after that, I struggled hard to try and rise, but my pathetic body just refused and lay flat.
“I told you. If that back kick was completed, it would have been worse than this.”
Seeing me like that, Leona chuckled and started massaging my legs again.
At the same time, she began to leak mana little by little to untangle my mana veins and help them circulate.
“You’re still pretty tough that it’s only this messed up. Originally, you would have been bedridden for a week and limped for a month.”
“Ugh… Hah, is that an experience tale, heh…?”
A tingling sensation shot up my calves all the way to my lower abdomen as my whole body began to twitch.
“E-Experience? I’ve never had that happen; I’m exceptional!”
That’s definitely an experience tale.
“Anyway, you’re pushing yourself too hard. Why are you doing that? You could take it slow; you’re still so young.”
Leona’s gentle hands climbed my calves and began massaging the insides of my thighs, pressing down squish– squish.
With every push, my back arched, and an electric sensation spread through my lower abdomen.
Hick…! I desperately suppressed the strange sounds bubbling from my mouth and replied, “Ugh… H-Hey… gentle… please… I’m flexible enough…”
Leona was right; Beastmen’s movements are not something humans could replicate.
They’re a different race from birth.
In a sense, one could say they were born for combat; Beastmen’s bodies are strong and tough.
On the other hand, human bodies are fragile and feeble.
I can force myself to follow, but it would put immense strain on a normal human’s joints and risk twisting their bones.
But I’m okay.
I may be short and soft, but my body’s flexibility and elasticity are excessively outstanding, and I’ve pumped mana into every joint and limb to regulate them well.
That said, I still can’t perfectly mimic a Beastman’s movements at my current level, but I believe I can catch up soon.
“Don’t rush; take it slow. I hope my disciple lives a long life.”
“…I’ll live long enough, no worries.”
Nyahaha! “Yeah! Now let’s go!”
After Leona’s massage roughly finished, I got back up. I did feel a bit looser than before.
But my legs still had no strength.
“…What’s wrong with me?”
When I punched and pinched myself, I felt pain, but strangely my legs felt odd, like I was walking underwater.
“Today’s a no-go walking day, huh?”
Seeing me like that, Leona said, “Hup–.”
She picked me up.
Not in the way of hoisting me, but carrying me.
In the so-called princess carry style.
“W-What… What are you doing?!”
“Aren’t you unable to walk?”
“N-No, I can walk!”
“Hmm? Yeah? Alright, give it a try.”
With a giggle, Leona put me down.
At the same time, she poured mana all over my legs.
As the mana dispersed, my body began to tilt.
“Gasp… What the hell…!”
“See? Didn’t I tell you it wouldn’t work?”
Right before I completely fell.
Leona caught me again.
“Now, let’s be quiet and go!”
“N-No, wait, what…?”
“That aside, what’s with this martial artist’s body being so light? Hey, disciple, are you eating properly?”
“Ugh, no…”
I couldn’t answer; words wouldn’t come out.
It was embarrassing. Humiliating. I felt like dying.
What kind of situation am I in right now?
Heat rushed to my face.
What am I doing, being carried like this? Why?
“Ugh. Your skin is so soft that a martial artist could eat you up?”
“Ugh…! S-Stop squeezing me!”
“Wow? What? Is our disciple embarrassed?”
Leona’s eyes widened in mock surprise as she gazed at my face.
“Hmm… I thought you were a rough one, but you have such girlish facets? Hehehe. Nice!”
Before long, her surprise turned into a snicker, and she let out a mocking snigger.
“No! Ugh… Please stop! Just put me down already!”
“Give up. You won’t be able to move until tomorrow morning. With how you are, you wouldn’t have gotten up for at least five days. Thanks to my massage, it’s all over in a day. Hehe!”
“…Is that really because of the back kick?”
“Yes. Also because of the potion I fed you earlier.”
“…Potion?”
A potion? Does it make it impossible for my legs to move?
Is it not an ordinary potion?
“What exactly is it? Moreover, do you have to keep it a secret after I’ve already taken it?”
“Nyahaha! It’s a trade secret! Anyway, you can’t move until tomorrow morning, so just give up!”
“…No, I refuse. Even if I have to crawl, I’ll get back on my own, so just… just put me down.”
“Our disciple sure is overly modest! Don’t worry, don’t worry! It’s past curfew; no one’s going to see you!”
Regardless of her words, I struggled, pushing against her for dear life; my legs had no strength, relying only on my arms and waist.
Of course, it was no use.
Leona didn’t budge at all.
And so, carried like a princess, I exited the training grounds.
“…Ah, Young Lady?”
I ran into Yurasia.
Instinctively, I raised my hands to cover my face.
“…Yurasia, close your eyes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And smash your head down hard.”
“…Huh?”
“If it seems too tiring, just slam your head down hard.”
“I never expected a student would be out at this hour!”
Leona cheerfully smiled as she approached Yurasia. I struggled again, but it was no use.
Dammit.
“Ah, well… I was a bit late coming back after sending a letter to my family. I have my permission slip!”
“Okay, okay! I can’t picture Yurasia doing anything naughty, so I believe you!”
“Uh… But why is the Young Lady being carried like this?”
“Hmm? Ahahaha! Today, we had quite a rigorous spar, and I was throwing a tantrum saying I can’t walk. So as the master, I! Brought my disciple! Directly in my arms!”
“W-Throwing a tantrum…?”
Yurasia looked very flustered as she cautiously eyed me. I bit my lip sharply and glared defiantly.
“I never threw a tantrum! And I’m not lying here because of the spar! I said I would crawl back to the dorms, but the Vice Headmaster… forced me here! My will was not involved! Got it? Understand?”
“…Y-Yes.”
“*Nyahaha! So, Yurasia, could you take my disciple to her room? It seems it would be more convenient for you to take her there.”
Gulp — Whether swallowing saliva or something else, a profound sound emanated from Yurasia’s throat.
“Uh, well… then I will do that.”
“No! Don’t! I can go by myself!”
“Y-Yes…? Um, still I will escort you…”
“No! I can manage on my own!”
I glared at Yurasia with wide eyes.
“Just leave me alone.”
“Gasp… O-Okay…”
“Hmm. Our disciple sure needs a lot of attention!”
With that, Leona sighed as she laughed and tousled my hair.
“Sleep well! Take a good rest this weekend! On Monday… Hmm, I’ll be busy then, so let’s meet again on Tuesday!”
“What’s that? Sleep well?”
At the same time…
Poke—
Leona’s finger jabbed into my mana pathway.
“Hik!”
And just like that, my consciousness blacked out.
*
Having handed Eliaernes over to Yurasia, Leona promptly set off.
With light steps. Her consistent stride and unimpeded steps led her outside the Academy.
The moment she stepped out through the Academy’s main gate…
Boom—
The incomplete back kick Eliaernes had clumsily executed was replaced by a perfected one kicking through the air.
And then…
“Indeed, I can’t fool your eyes.”
From the ‘back’ of the space where Leona’s leg had extended, a shadowy figure donned in a black hood stepped forward.
A man’s figure.
But he wasn’t human.
A marionette. A marionette with more joints than a human body trudged forward.
“But isn’t that quite a violent greeting for a long-lost junior?”
“Ha.”
Zzzt — Leona’s golden eyes, which had been cut in half, glowed ominously.
“If you utter ‘junior’ one more time, I will find your main body within two days and tear you apart.”
“…Haha. Right, I had forgotten the last time we met. Please dismiss my recent slip of tongue.”
Though it was a verbal warning, the man facing Leona felt cold sweat streaming down his spine as he bowed his head.
“By the way, Leona. It surprises me that you’ve taken on a disciple. What’s prompted such a change?”
“I removed one of your precious eyes, and yet you still have not learned to fix your peeping habit, eh? Should I remove the other remaining eye to teach you?”
“I did not spy. I merely heard things.”
“Heard? Then I should probably rip your eardrums out.”
Leona’s gaze shifted towards the Academy.
“Inside there, I’d wager your ears are. What is it? Must the lady act in person?”
“Is it permissible for someone in a position of Vice Headmaster to openly talk of killing students like that?”
“Your disciple is less important than my student, so there’s nothing I can’t do.”
“The Swords Empress said you calmed down after taking a faculty position, but I see it was all a lie.”
The marionette chuckled.
“Well, it’s good that the first pillar of the Empire, as well as the name ‘Demon Fist,’ hasn’t dulled.”
At the same time…
Leona’s fist moved.
——-.
With noise compressed to the limit.
It was a minuscule sound that could be mistaken for a breeze passing by.
The marionette standing before Leona crumpled listlessly. Immediately after, Leona stomped down on the marionette’s chest with a crunch.
“Don’t you know what happens when you attach ‘Demon’ to my name?”
“…I didn’t expect you to get so worked up.”
“If that’s the case, I can help you learn it anew.”
Crack— Sharp claws grew from Leona’s extended hand. The tightly clenched space between her teeth revealed fangs, and her golden eyes glimmered with ominous light.
Then, the malignance that she had been suppressing burst forth.
The horrid mana that had been forcibly contained flowed outward, and the overwhelming presence began to dominate the area.
“Northern White Castle. Your main body is waiting there. Wait patiently. I will personally come to rip out your tongue and remaining eye.”
In less than a second.
In that brief moment, Leona’s behavioral patterns pinpointed the location of his main body.
The owner of the marionette.
The emperor’s third pillar, Uje, shut his mouth tight.
“Ah, the Swords Empress, the Shadow Monarch, and the Demon Spear are here as well. Would you care to welcome the empire’s four pillars?”
“…Have you improved since then?”
“Don’t get the permission to speak from me.”
Strength surged into the foot crushing the marionette beneath Leona. The ground cracked and the space distorted.
“Never forget that the reason you’re still alive is due to that ‘pact.’ The moment it shatters, the first ones to die will certainly be you.”
Uje could not refute Leona’s words.
Her statement wasn’t just bluster or sophistry.
It was something that could genuinely occur, and it was true.
The six pillars of the Empire.
There are only six in total, but even among them, factions are divided.
One faction seeks to maintain the Demon King’s seal, and another seeks to break the Demon King’s seal, along with a neutral faction.
The former includes four of the empire’s six pillars—The Swords Empress, the Shadow Monarch, the Demon Spear, and Uje himself.
The latter consists of just one.
The empire’s first pillar. Leona.
Even then, the balance is not maintained.
Even if the Flame Sovereign joins the neutral side, they wouldn’t be able to bend Leona.
That’s why Uje could only keep his mouth shut and remain in silence against Leona’s words.
“If you have nothing else to say, get lost.”
“…Understood.”
Seeing Uje cut off the connection to his marionette, Leona sighed softly and turned away.
“And, if anyone dares to touch my disciple…”
However, she didn’t walk away immediately, leaving behind a small muttering.
“I will personally embrace the name of ‘Demon Fist.’”