Zane was not expecting to be punched by Zach. The guy had always kept his attacks to just snide remarks and double meanings. It had been a long time since Zane got into a physical altercation. Maybe only as a kid. Zane was usually level headed, but this time he couldn't let pass.
He was definitely going to lose the fight, but he wasn't going to back down now. Too many times has Zach got by with no consequences for his outrageous actions. Zane was going to fight back against his bully, and do what Zach's parents should have done a long time ago.
Zach was much taller than him and maybe even two more weight classes higher, but anger and adrenaline consumed Zane.
Pulling his hands to a fist, he swung straight with a jab at Zach's chin, knocking back his head and loosening the grip on his collar. Running forward he punched Zach in the side, but his opponent's body was trained and well-built while his was that of a homebody.
"Surprised me, happy slave. Your hits have a bite to them, but they're still weak and pathetic just like you are." With a step forward, Zach lowered his body as he twisted from his feet and used all his building force to throw a powerful punch at Zane's abdomen.
The punch dug deep into Zane's stomach as he let out a gasp of air. Zane fell to his knees clutching his stomach.
"That's how you punch. Stay down like slave you are." Zach felt better of himself looking at the curled up ball he taught a lesson to.
"What are you doing Zach! You followed me all the way here, and you beat up the guy that helped save you! What kind of messed up are you?!" Lily shouted at Zach's actions. She knew the guy was the part of a large powerful family that owned the company she worked for so she put up with his antics. However, he went too far this time. She could no longer stay quiet.
Zach held no remorse. If anything, he finally felt the stuffed up resentment ease. "Che. Don't worry. The happy slave won't die."
"Why do you keep calling him that?! And why are you ignoring that he helped save you!?"
"Whatever." Zach ignored Lily's protest, turning back to the stairwell as he stomped his way down and left.
Pushing away Atsugi who had his arms still attached around her, she quickly made her way to Zane, who was still curled up on the floor.
Placing her hand on his back, she glowed in a shimmering white light that enveloped Zane. He recalled that comforting feeling as the pulsing pain from his abdomen subsided. Getting up he embarrassingly looked at Lily.
"Hey, thanks. That was pretty lame, huh?"
"No, not at all. It was time someone fought back against that guy. He's been getting away with the crap he did probably his entire life. I thought it was cool you stood up against him."
Noticing the weird atmosphere between the two, Atsugi placed himself right in between the two and faked a cough.
"Ahem. Oh, are you alright Zane? And what was that Lily?"
"Yea, better now." Zane was internally rolling his eyes. Thinking to himself he admitted, "What a protective and jealous guy. Though, it was getting too fluffy for a moment there."
Lily responded to Atsugi's question. "Well, I got the Saint class, and obtained a healing skill. It was hard, but I was able to acquire mana and then learn and pass the other 10 requirements."
"Lily-bun!!!! You're so amazing! No wonder you look even more like an angel now! No! You're a goddess now! And you're a second class citizen too! We can go together now!" Atsugi was thrilled at the news.
Zane didn't hear anything Atsugi was saying. His mind zoned out on what Lily had stated and everything else Atsugi said was just rambles of incoherent noises.
"10 requirements?" Zane asked.
"Yea. My trial had 10 tasks and 1 extra task, but I didn't have time to complete the extra task, but I did get a partial completion." Lily honestly responded. "In a sense I was lucky too, because my body had the compatibility to become a Saint. My teacher told me that we tend to instinctively choose jobs that are most fitted to us due to compatibility."
There was a heavy pause as Zane digested the information. "Damn it! So I had the chance to really be a Sage!"
This time Atsugi responded. "Was that what you originally wanted? I think the Sage class wasn't too hard, though I almost blew myself up."
"Easy? Don't mess with me man." Zane was glaring hard at his lucky neighbor.
Nervously, Atsugi continued. "Well, it was just a lot more memorizing and trying to apply them to the tasks. There were other things like brewing and stuff. Maybe it was hard? Yea. It was. Yea." Noticing Zane relenting and easing up, he quickly finished recounting his trial.
'Yea, just like Lily, I had to complete 10 tasks, but I also completed the extra task given."
Internally, Zane's head was going to explode. He was just defeated by his bully, and now he learns that he had a high probability of acquiring the Sage job he wanted. He was lamenting his old cautious habits.
"Sorry guys. I'm having a bit of a bad day. I'm going to go inside. If we never see each other again, good luck to you both."
"You too. Take care." The couple responded back not know what more to say.
Zane despondently dragged his feet to the door of his studio apartment before unlocking and stepping inside.
The closing thud of the door, broke the awkward silence of the couple as they could not say anything to their lifeless neighbor.
"Let's go to Lily-bun." Lily nodded. She didn't know Zane well, but she felt a feeling of pity that she could not understand. She recalled a moment earlier when she went to her apartment. "I don't know if I'll be able to enter your apartment though, as I don't personally live here."
"Well, let's slowly try." Atsugi suggested. Lily haltingly hovered his hand over the door to Atsugi apartment. With no reaction, she went to the door knob and gradually turned it to open the door. There was no adverse reaction.
"Well, it seems couples can enter each other's residence without any issues, babe. Zach tried coming into mine on the way here. He was zapped with electricity." If Zane was there, he would have gathered an interesting point regarding couples and residences, though not like the information would have been of any use to him.
The muffled complaints and constant nagging of Atsugi were heard through the walls of Zane's studio. He huffed at how terribly thin the walls were in their apartment building.
"You get what you paid for." Zane sighed.
Giggles and laughter could be heard coming from the other side, leading to playful banter and then bewitching bedroom voices. Knowing what was coming, he quickly ran to find his headphones. Before he could blast his music, soft erotic moans of an angel and deep growls reverberated through out Zane's studio.
"I'll let it go one last time, Atsugi! If we ever meet again, I'll never let you hear the end of this!"