Martha Zieghart raised her chin, her hand on her waist. Her arrogant eyes didn't match her graceful appearance, but it also looked natural.
'Is this place the problem?'
Raon lightly kicked the floor of the training ground a couple times. Dorian had warned him, but he didn't believe she would start picking a fight with him immediately. It looked like there really wasn't anyone decent around him.
I can't believe there would be someone even more arrogant than the pointy-eared bastard and blue eyes. Give your body to me. The King of Essence will freeze her whole.
'I knew it.'
Wrath started to freak out after Martha's taunt. The wrath he was venting was a lot fiercer than usual.
"Hmm."
"Martha Zieghart."
While Raon was considering how to respond, a precocious and cold voice could be heard.
"What kind of unrefined act are you performing?"
It was Burren Zieghart. He was glaring coldly at Martha.
"Haaah?"
Martha made a wry face. It wasn't a face that a child from a prestigious family should be making, but an expression of someone who had one foot into the dark side.
"Did you just say that to your senior?"
She approached Burren with a smile.
"If you keep shooting your mouth off, you'll end up dead immediately. You'd better choose your words more carefully next time."
"That's my line. Raon Zieghart was acknowledged as the top trainee in front of the head of house and the instructor. Are you trying to deny that?"
Burren came forward to stop Martha as if it were his own problem.
"I know you also made a fuss because you couldn't accept the results of the test."
The corners of Martha's lips raised. It was a thick, scornful smile. She already knew what had happened during the test, despite acting like she didn't know who the top trainee was.
"That's why."
Burren calmly nodded.
"I don't want to see the disgraceful behavior that I showed back then. That's why I'm stopping you now."
"Huuh?"
"Don't soil the name of Zieghart, Martha Zieghart."
Raon narrowed his eyes, observing Burren's back.
'That guy…'
Burren's eyes were clear. He really seemed to be trying to prevent the situation from going awry, rather than just getting on her nerves.
It seemed he was sincere when he lowered his head to apologize.
Step!
Burren wasn't the only one trying to stop Martha. Runaan also stepped in front of Raon, trying to protect him.
"And do you think the same?"
Martha grinned, looking through Runaan and Burren.
"Leave."
Runaan said a single word with a vacant gaze.
"Step back, Martha."
"I already told you."
Martha's eyes shone.
"I don't listen to those weaker than me!"
Her fist pierced through the air, storming towards Burren.
Whir!
Right before the aura-enhanced fist reached Burren's face, a green wind shot up.
Wham!
Rimmer, who used to be on the platform, appeared in the blink of an eye and blocked Martha's fist.
"You really are ignoring me too much. Even if you think I'm easy, it's regrettable that you are acting like I don't exist."
He pushed Martha's fist back with a cheerful smile.
"Martha, I heard you failed because of that temper. It looks like you haven't changed."
"That's…"
"Unlike Burren or Runaan, Raon hasn't learned aura yet, just as you've said. Do you really wanna fight, knowing that?"
"I'm not going to use my aura, either."
"You know, that still doesn't make you equal. Since there will be another opportunity in the future, stay patient for now."
"Tsk…"
Martha pouted and took a step back. However, she kept glaring at Burren without leaving.
"Burren Zieghart."
"What?"
"You know your older brother was beaten up by me and was forced to stay in bed for an entire month. If you are trying to be arrogant, you'd better get stronger first."
"I'm different from my older brother."
"We will see about that."
With a thin smile, Martha turned away. Runaan and Burren, seeing that, relaxed and stepped aside.
At that moment, Martha turned around and kicked off from the ground at the same time.
"I hate cowards that hide behind others even more than arrogant bastards!"
In a flash, she pounced on Raon, and swung her fist.
"Eek!"
"Ah!"
Burren and Runaan couldn't react, and Rimmer was staying still despite seeing it.
'I knew it.'
Raon's eyes remained calm. He'd already expected her to come at him the moment she shifted her center of gravity as she turned around.
Tap!
He used the back of his hand to fend off Martha's fist, which was aimed at his chest.
"Huh?"
"Are you ready to be punished?"
He swung his clenched fist. His fist, including the rotation of Void Tiger Fist, was aimed at Martha's defenseless abdomen.
"Eek!"
Panic could be seen in her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she gathered brown energy in her left fist.
Wham!
A bare fist and an aura-imbued forearm collided, pushing Raon and Martha back at the same time.
"Didn't you say that you weren't going to use your aura?"
Raon dusted off his red-hot fist.
"Wh-what are you?!"
Martha's eyes, which had distinct white and black sections, were bloodshot. She was even stuttering, despite having always been confident.
"Wow!"
"Did… did you really block that?"
Rimmer giggled, and Burren swallowed hard.
"Eek!"
Martha engulfed her entire body with a brown aura.
"That's as far as you go."
As she was about to charge in, Rimmer straightened his posture and stepped in front of her.
"I can't allow you any more than this."
Despite smiling, he was emitting sharp pressure. He was different from before, when he was playing around.
"But I—!"
"Even if you fight without an aura now, it will only end up in an incomplete combustion. Try fighting him later, when Raon has learned a proper aura. I will allow it then."
"Sigh…"
Martha glared at Raon while grinding her teeth, before turning away. This time she didn't even look back. She left and closed the door with a loud bang.
"Raon."
Rimmer approached and grabbed his shoulder.
"How did you defend against Martha's attack? It looked like you knew about it already."
"It was her center of gravity."
Raon snapped out the answer like nothing.
"Center of gravity?"
The question was from Burren. Runaan also seemed curious, her ears perking up like a rabbit.
"When she turned around, she shifted her center of gravity to her back instead of her front. She wasn't aiming for Burren or Runaan, but at me, in the middle. I figured she was going to come at me for sure."
"With just that…"
Burren frowned hearing the answer, and Runaan fell deep in thought as her eyes grew empty.
"Hmm!"
Rimmer exclaimed lightly.
'His observation and physical abilities are as outstanding as always.'
He counterattacked immediately by discerning the opponent's intention from their center of gravity. His talent wasn't normal, for sure.
"…"
Burren examined the floor where Raon and Martha had fought, then left the training ground biting his lip.
"I scolded her properly, so she won't bother you for a while. But you will inevitably face her after you learn aura."
"I know."
"By the way, it looks like the Void Tiger Fist's rotation has become yours completely now."
That rotation had been used when Raon struck Martha. That was actually more amazing than his counterattack.
"It's not that big of a deal."
Raon shook his head and turned back.
What have you done? Did you let her live, despite her swinging her fist at the King of Essence? You must tear off her limbs and imprison her inside an eternal glacier…
'I struck her back.'
That's not enough. Her head needs to be smashed!
'It's not worth it.'
There was nothing to gain from having a fist fight with her like that.
It was way more beneficial to make a bet, staking the title of top trainee on it, once there was something she could give him.
Kuh! She needs to be shattered into pieces after being frozen whole…
'Just wait. I'll let you see something even better.'
Raon smiled and left the training ground.
***